Stripes

Right now you can watch Stripes in Australia on Foxtel Now and Sony Pictures Core Amazon Channel, and in the US on Philo and YouTube TV — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 1,046 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Bill Murray leads a cast with real comic timing. There is no real reason to keep putting it off — it is right there on Foxtel Now.

Part of the current wave of titles people are actually watching, Stripes earns its spot. Sharp writing and a well-matched ensemble are what separate Stripes from the crowd. Hard-luck cabbie John Winger, directionless after being fired from his job and dumped by his girlfriend, enlists in the U.S. Army with his close pal, Russell Ziskey. After his barely satisfactory performance in basic training, the irreverent Winger emerges as the figurehead for a ragtag band of misfits. Bill Murray and Harold Ramis lead a cast that never overplays a joke. Stripes came out in 1981. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and Stripes holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

If you need a comedy that actually makes you laugh, Stripes is a strong candidate. It has built its own audience without needing a direct comparison. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Bill Murray anchors an ensemble with real chemistry. Genuinely funny, consistently, across the whole run.