White Chicks

Right now you can watch White Chicks in Australia on Stan and Hoopla, and in the US on Netflix and Kanopy — and it is funnier than its reputation suggests. A tight runtime that never overstays its welcome. 4,614 people have weighed in on TMDB, and the verdict leans heavily positive. Shawn Wayans's performance alone is worth the time investment. Available now on Stan — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

Whatever else is competing for your attention this week, White Chicks is worth clearing space for. White Chicks does what great comedies rarely manage — it is actually funny, consistently, across the whole run. Two FBI agent brothers, Marcus and Kevin Copeland, accidentally foil a drug bust. To avoid being fired they accept a mission escorting a pair of socialites to the Hamptons--but when the girls are disfigured in a car accident, they refuse to go. Left without options, Marcus and Kevin decide to pose as the sisters, transforming themselves from black men into rich European-American women. Between them, Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans carry the comedy without ever forcing it. It hit screens in 2004. The real test of any comedy is whether it is still funny once you know all the jokes, and White Chicks holds up on rewatch in a way that separates it from one-off curiosities. There is real craft here, even in the moments that do not fully land.

For viewers who want something light without wanting something stupid, White Chicks respects your intelligence. If you have run out of similar titles to watch, this is a strong next pick. It is a manageable watch, easy to fit into a single evening. Shawn Wayans's comic timing carries it through its weaker moments. The kind of comedy you recommend to someone who claims they do not watch much.