Hair

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Hair is available in Australia on Amazon Prime Video, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and Kanopy right now. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. A 7/10 rating says what the writing already makes obvious: this one works. John Savage is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Available now on Amazon Prime Video — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Hair arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The jokes in Hair land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. Upon receiving his draft notice and leaving his family ranch in Oklahoma, Claude heads to New York and befriends a tribe of long-haired hippies on his way to boot camp. John Savage and Treat Williams lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 1979. Hair earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Hair is a strong candidate. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. A contained runtime means every scene is doing real work. John Savage is funny in a way that holds up on rewatch. Put it on when you need something guaranteed to land.