The Willoughbys

The Willoughbys, in Australia on Netflix, and in the US on Netflix, does something a lot of comedies forget to: it's consistently funny. It knows exactly what kind of film it is from the opening scene, and never loses that thread. Its 7/10 TMDB score, built from 989 ratings, reflects a title that consistently delivers. Will Forte's performance alone is worth the time investment. Put it on tonight on Netflix and see for yourself.

The Willoughbys arrived without much fanfare and built its audience the hard way — through word of mouth. The Willoughbys gets the fundamentals right first, then finds room to get weird with it. When the four Willoughby children are abandoned by their selfish parents, they must learn how to adapt their Old-Fashioned values to the contemporary world in order to create something new: The Modern Family. Between them, Will Forte and Maya Rudolph carry the comedy without ever forcing it. It hit screens in 2020. The Willoughbys earns its laughs from character rather than situation, which is why it does not wear thin the way pure farce tends to. It delivers reliably on what it promises, which is more than most of its competition manages.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, The Willoughbys respects your intelligence. It stands on its own even without an obvious comparison point. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Will Forte's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.

The Willoughbys was released in 2020, directed by Kris Pearn. The full 92-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.