Jawbreaker

Jawbreaker is currently streaming in Australia on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel, and in the UK on Netflix, and it delivers exactly the kind of comedy that earns a loyal following. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. With 595 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Rose McGowan is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Start it on Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel whenever you need something guaranteed to land.

Jawbreaker arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The jokes in Jawbreaker land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. When an exclusive clique of teenage socialites accidentally murder their best friend on the morning of her birthday, the three girls responsible conspire to hide the truth. Rose McGowan and Rebecca Gayheart lead a cast with the timing to make it work. It was released in 1999. Jawbreaker 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.

Jawbreaker is the kind of thing you put on in the background and end up fully watching. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Rose McGowan's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.