Ratatouille

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, Ratatouille is available in Australia on Disney Plus, and in the US on Disney Plus and Hulu right now. The runtime earns every minute, with nothing here that feels like padding. 18,647 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Patton Oswalt's performance alone is worth the time investment. Put it on tonight on Disney Plus and see for yourself.

Ratatouille is not trying to be everything to everyone, and that focus is exactly what makes it work. Ratatouille gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. Remy, a rat, possesses a palate far more refined than that of his fellow comrades. He dreams of becoming a chef, one who creates rather than scavenges. When fate deposits him in the sewers beneath one of Paris’s most famous restaurants, he finds himself ideally placed to fulfill his dream. Patton Oswalt and Ian Holm lead a cast with the timing to make it work. It hit screens in 2007. What keeps Ratatouille from feeling disposable is a cast that clearly understands the material better than the format usually demands. The hit rate here is high enough that skipping ahead never feels like an option.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Ratatouille is a strong candidate. 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. Patton Oswalt's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.