The Family

If you are after a comedy that actually makes you laugh out loud, The Family is available in Australia on Stan, and in the US on Amazon Prime Video and HBO Max Amazon Channel right now. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 3,134 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Robert De Niro is the obvious draw, but the whole ensemble earns its laughs. Available now on Stan — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason The Family keeps coming up in conversation. The Family does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. After ratting out his Mafia cohorts, Giovanni Manzoni and his family enter the Witness Protection Program and relocate to a sleepy town in France. Despite the best efforts of their handler to keep them in line, Giovanni (now called Fred Blake), his wife and children can't help but resort to doing things the "family" way. However, their dependence on such old habits places everyone in danger from vengeful mobsters. The chemistry Robert De Niro and Michelle Pfeiffer bring to it does a lot of the heavy lifting. The Family came out in 2013. The timing in The Family is precise enough that even the throwaway lines land on a second watch. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, The Family respects your intelligence. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Robert De Niro sets the tone, but the supporting cast is where a lot of the best moments come from. A reliable pick for any night you want quality comedy without the homework.