Rags

Right now you can watch Rags in Australia on Paramount Plus and Stan, and in the US on Paramount Plus Premium — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. 190 viewers have already rated it on TMDB — the kind of consensus that does not happen by accident. Watch it for Keke Palmer — stay for everyone else around them. Put it on tonight on Paramount Plus and see for yourself.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Rags earns its spot. The jokes in Rags land because the characters underneath them are worth caring about. Rags follows the story of Charlie Prince, an orphan living with his acerbic and unloving stepfather and spoiled, simple-minded stepbrothers. Charlie's dream is to be a singer, and while he is vocally talented and can write music, he can't seem to catch a break. Kadee Worth, on the other hand, is the daughter of music mogul Reginald Worth and is an international pop phenomenon. Keke Palmer and Max Schneider lead a cast that brings real weight to the material. It was released in 2012. Rags earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

Comedy fans looking for a reliably funny watch will find it in Rags. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. The complete film is available and best experienced without too much prior knowledge of where it goes. Keke Palmer anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.