The 1990s were a golden age for comedy, delivering timeless classics that still make us laugh. But for every Dumb and Dumber, there was a Mr. Nanny. Yes, the decade also spawned some of the most cringe-inducing, painfully unfunny comedies ever committed to film. While some were panned from the start, others were merely mediocre then but have since become unwatchable due to changing tastes and the passage of time.
What makes these films so bad? It's a mix of lazy writing, misguided casting, and jokes that haven't aged well. Some relied on stereotypes, others on gross-out gags that now feel just gross. And a few were simply cash grabs that should never have seen the light of day. Let's take a trip down memory lane to revisit seven of the worst offenders—movies that were bad then and are somehow even worse now.
7. 'Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot' (1992)
This film's title alone is a red flag. Starring Sylvester Stallone as a tough cop whose overbearing mother (Estelle Getty) comes to stay, it was a Razzie winner for Worst Actor, Worst Supporting Actress, and Worst Screenplay. The premise had potential—Getty was a TV icon from The Golden Girls—but the execution was painfully unfunny. The jokes about a meddling mom feel even more dated and tired today.
Interestingly, the film's backstory is more entertaining than the movie itself. Arnold Schwarzenegger, as a prank, pretended to be interested in the script, prompting Stallone to jump on board. Schwarzenegger later revealed the ruse, making Stallone the butt of a joke that's aged better than the film itself.
6. 'Mr. Nanny' (1993)
Hulk Hogan's attempt at family comedy is a baffling misfire. He plays a former wrestler turned bodyguard/nanny for two bratty kids. The plot is a mess, the kids are borderline sociopathic, and the humor is painfully forced. It's a Kindergarten Cop wannabe that fails on every level. Even Hogan's charisma can't save this trainwreck, which feels even more ridiculous 30 years later.
5. 'Weekend at Bernie's II' (1993)
The original Weekend at Bernie's was a silly but fun premise. The sequel, however, is a rotting corpse of a movie—literally and figuratively. Andrew McCarthy and Jonathan Silverman reprise their roles, dragging Bernie's decomposing body around the Virgin Islands in search of stolen money. The jokes are stale, the plot is nonsensical, and the whole thing feels like a bad idea that somehow got greenlit. It's a prime example of a sequel that should never have been made.
4. 'Mr. Wrong' (1996)
Before her talk show fame, Ellen DeGeneres was a beloved comedian. Mr. Wrong was supposed to be her big-screen vehicle, but it's a cringe-worthy romantic comedy that hasn't aged well. DeGeneres plays a woman who falls for a seemingly perfect man (Bill Pullman) who turns out to be a possessive psycho. The humor is uncomfortable, and the film's treatment of mental health is problematic. It's a forgettable entry in both stars' careers.
3. 'It's Pat' (1994)
Based on the Saturday Night Live sketch about an androgynous character, It's Pat was a critical and commercial disaster. The joke—Pat's ambiguous gender—was thin even for a sketch, and stretched to feature length it's unbearable. The film's reliance on gender stereotypes is particularly cringe-worthy today. It's a movie that's best left forgotten.
2. 'Simon Sez' (1999)
This action-comedy starring Dennis Rodman is a bizarre mess. Rodman plays a former spy who teams up with a teenager to rescue a kidnapped heiress. The film is a mishmash of bad jokes, terrible acting, and dated special effects. It's so bad it's almost fascinating, but not in a good way. Rodman's charisma can't save this disaster, which has aged like milk.
1. 'Cool as Ice' (1991)
Vanilla Ice's attempt at a musical comedy is legendary for all the wrong reasons. He plays a rapper who falls for a small-town girl, and the film is a cringe-fest of bad acting, worse dialogue, and a plot that makes no sense. The movie was a flop at the time and has only become more laughable with age. It's a perfect example of a celebrity vanity project gone horribly wrong.
These films are a reminder that not everything from the '90s was golden. While some comedies from that era have become beloved classics, these seven are best left in the past. If you're in the mood for a good laugh, skip these and check out some of the hidden gems on streaming instead. And if you're a fan of action comedies, you might want to revisit Jet Li's greatest hits—they've aged much better.
