Best Movies like Ted (2012)

Paul centers on the friendship between an ordinary man and an extraordinary, talking alien, much as Ted explores the dynamic between a man and his living teddy bear. Both films balance adult humor with the fantastical, using a comedic lens to examine unconventional relationships and their impact on personal growth.

For the past 60 years, a space-traveling smart-ass named Paul has been locked up in a top-secret military base, advising world leaders about his kind. But when he worries he’s outlived his usefulness and the dissection table is drawing uncomfortably close, Paul escapes on the first RV that passes by his compound in Area 51. Fortunately, it contains the two earthlings who are most likely to rescue and harbor an alien on the run. Paul is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 6.7 by 6,383 people. The movie made an estimated total of $98,000,000 in the box office.

Mannequin also features a protagonist whose romantic life is complicated by the miraculous existence of a non-human companion—here, a mannequin that comes to life. This blend of fantasy with real-world relationship challenges mirrors Ted’s central tension between magical friendship and developing adult romance.

Jonathan Switcher, an unemployed artist, finds a job as an assistant window dresser for a department store. When Jonathan happens upon a beautiful mannequin he previously designed, she springs to life and introduces herself as Emmy, an Egyptian under an ancient spell. Despite interference from the store's devious manager, Jonathan and his mannequin fall in love while creating eye-catching window displays to keep the struggling store in business. Mannequin is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 29m runtime, released in 1987 with an average rating of 6.9 by 838 people. The movie made an estimated total of $42,700,000 in the box office.

Drop Dead Fred pairs its lead with a mischievous, imaginary companion only visible to them, paralleling Ted’s core dynamic of a talking teddy bear that creates chaos and affects all personal relationships. Both comedies highlight how childhood fantasies persist into adulthood, disrupting normalcy.

An unhappy housewife gets a lift from the return of her imaginary childhood friend, Drop Dead Fred. Drop Dead Fred is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 39m runtime, released in 1991 with an average rating of 5.8 by 411 people. The movie made an estimated total of $13,878,334 in the box office.

Lars and the Real Girl explores a man’s unusual bond with a non-living figure, showcasing how such relationships influence social connections and romantic prospects. Like Ted, it uses humor and warmth to delve into human attachment to unconventional companions and the resulting emotional dilemmas.

Extremely shy Lars finds it impossible to make friends or socialize. His brother and sister-in-law worry about him, so when he announces that he has a girlfriend he met on the Internet, they are overjoyed. But Lars' new lady is a life-size plastic woman. On the advice of a doctor, his family and the rest of the community go along with his delusion. Lars and the Real Girl is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 7.2 by 2,119 people. The movie made an estimated total of $11,293,663 in the box office.

Good Boy! weaves a story around a magical talking animal that upends a normal life, reminiscent of the way Ted brings a figure of childhood fantasy to life. Both films blend comedic scenarios with elements of fantasy, focusing on the challenges of out-of-the-ordinary friendships.

An intergalactic dog pilot from Sirius (the dog star), visits Earth to verify the rumors that dogs have failed to take over the planet. Good Boy! is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 28m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 5.6 by 148 people.

Alfie Darling revolves around romantic entanglements and the complications of adult relationships, echoing Ted’s central theme of balancing love interests and personal connections. Both films examine the comedic fallout when emotional attachments interfere with romance and personal growth.

Alfie meets his romantic match when the modern-day Casanova falls in love with a career woman. Alfie soon realises that Abby, a magazine editor, is just as romantically ruthless as he is. Alfie Darling is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 42m runtime, released in 1975 with an average rating of 4.5 by 13 people.

Weekend at Bernie's draws its comedy from the presence of an improbable companion – a dead man mistaken for living. Similar to Ted’s living teddy bear, the film’s premise revolves around how characters must manage bizarre, disruptive companions while navigating relationships and social situations.

Two young insurance corporation employees try to pretend that their murdered employer is alive by puppeteering his dead body, leading a hitman to attempt to track him down to finish him off. Weekend at Bernie's is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 38m runtime, released in 1989 with an average rating of 6.4 by 1,149 people. The movie made an estimated total of $30,218,387 in the box office.

Harvey focuses on an adult whose closest friend is an extraordinary, non-human figure—a giant invisible rabbit. Like Ted, the film offers a comedic perspective on how friendships with fantastical beings challenge societal expectations and complicate real-world relationships.

The story of Elwood P. Dowd who makes friends with a spirit taking the form of a human-sized rabbit named Harvey that only he sees (and a few privileged others on occasion also.) After his sister tries to commit him to a mental institution, a comedy of errors ensues. Elwood and Harvey become the catalysts for a family mending its wounds and for romance blossoming in unexpected places. Harvey is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 1950 with an average rating of 7.7 by 692 people.

Paddington features an anthropomorphic bear who lives with humans, sparking comedic and heartfelt interactions. This fantastical setup parallels Ted’s premise, as both explore how a magical, talking bear disrupts the ordinary lives and relationships of those around him.

A young Peruvian bear travels to London in search of a home. Finding himself lost and alone at Paddington Station, he meets the kindly Brown family, who offer him a temporary haven. Paddington is a movie from United Kingdom in English, with a total 1h 35m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 7.1 by 4,295 people. The movie made an estimated total of $333,960,862 in the box office.

Small Soldiers centers on childhood toys that come to life, propelling the characters into comedic and chaotic adventures. The film shares Ted’s blend of fantasy with real-world consequences, exploring how animate objects affect their owners and those close to them.

When missile technology is used to enhance toy action figures, the toys soon begin to take their battle programming too seriously. Small Soldiers is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 50m runtime, released in 1998 with an average rating of 6.6 by 2,367 people. The movie made an estimated total of $54,682,547 in the box office.

Death Becomes Her injects fantasy elements into everyday life, focusing on characters whose supernatural traits disrupt normal relationships. Like Ted, the film mines humor from extraordinary events affecting romantic and personal bonds, and examines the lasting effects of impossible wishes.

Madeline is married to Ernest, who was once her arch-rival Helen's fiancé. After recovering from a mental breakdown, Helen vows to kill Madeline and steal back Ernest. Unfortunately for everyone, the introduction of a magic potion causes things to be a great deal more complicated than a mere murder plot. Death Becomes Her is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 1992 with an average rating of 6.8 by 3,013 people. The movie made an estimated total of $149,000,000 in the box office.

The Cobbler revolves around a fantastical premise where a lead character gains supernatural abilities that dramatically alter daily life and interactions with others. Ted similarly uses magic as a catalyst for personal challenges and comedic situations in a contemporary, real-world setting.

Max Simkin repairs shoes in the same New York shop that has been in his family for generations. Disenchanted with the grind of daily life, Max stumbles upon a magical heirloom that allows him to step into the lives of his customers and see the world in a new way. Sometimes walking in another man's shoes is the only way one can discover who they really are. The Cobbler is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 39m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 5.9 by 1,822 people. The movie made an estimated total of $6,500,000 in the box office.

The Truman Show depicts a man unaware that his entire life is manipulated and observed, raising questions about reality, identity, and authentic relationships. In a different way, Ted uses fantastical circumstances to challenge its protagonist’s sense of self and the authenticity of his connections.

In a picture-perfect seaside town, an insurance salesman begins to realize that his entire existence may be staged and observed by a vast unseen audience as part of a long-running real-time reality TV show. The Truman Show is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 43m runtime, released in 1998 with an average rating of 8.2 by 20,529 people. The movie made an estimated total of $264,118,712 in the box office.

Look Who's Talking infuses a comedic narrative with the supernatural element of a talking non-human character—a baby with an inner voice. This creates a unique dynamic in romantic and family relationships, resonating with Ted’s core concept of a talking companion affecting adult life.

After a single, career-minded woman is left on her own to give birth to the child of a married man, she finds a new romantic chance in a cab driver. Meanwhile, the point-of-view of the newborn baby is narrated through voice-over. Look Who's Talking is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 36m runtime, released in 1989 with an average rating of 6.3 by 2,492 people. The movie made an estimated total of $296,999,813 in the box office.

Beetlejuice pairs its lead with a troublesome supernatural figure who creates comedic havoc in an otherwise ordinary world. Just as Ted explores the mayhem that ensues from a living teddy bear, Beetlejuice uses fantasy to test its characters’ personal and relational boundaries.

A newly dead New England couple seeks help from a deranged demon exorcist to scare an affluent New York family out of their home. Beetlejuice is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 32m runtime, released in 1988 with an average rating of 7.4 by 8,548 people. The movie made an estimated total of $84,554,197 in the box office.

The Mask focuses on a protagonist whose life is turned upside down by a magical entity, resulting in chaotic and hilarious interactions with those around him. Like Ted, the film explores the clash between fantasy and reality, mixing magical transformation with relationship challenges.

Timid bank clerk Stanley Ipkiss discovers a magical mask infused with the spirit of the Norse god Loki. Donning it transforms him into an unrestrained, green-faced, cartoon-like wild man. While the mask grants him the confidence to woo a local singer, it also makes him the target of a ruthless mobster. The Mask is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 41m runtime, released in 1994 with an average rating of 7.0 by 11,429 people. The movie made an estimated total of $351,583,407 in the box office.

The Kid revolves around an adult protagonist who confronts his past through the appearance of a magical figure representing his childhood. This echoes Ted’s themes of reconciling childhood wishes with adult responsibilities, both using fantasy to facilitate personal growth and reflection.

Powerful businessman Russ Duritz is self-absorbed and immersed in his work. But by the magic of the moon, he meets Rusty, a chubby, charming 8-year-old version of himself who can't believe he could turn out so badly – with no life and no dog. With Rusty's help, Russ is able to reconcile the person he used to dream of being with the man he's actually become. The Kid is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 6.8 by 1,155 people. The movie made an estimated total of $110,317,580 in the box office.

The Family Man uses a fantastical twist—sudden life transformation—to explore the complexities of adult relationships and choices. Mirroring Ted, it investigates how a magical intervention upends romance, identity, and connections, blending comedy with heartfelt decision-making.

Jack's lavish, fast-paced lifestyle changes one Christmas night when he stumbles into a grocery store holdup and disarms the gunman. The next morning he wakes up in bed lying next to Kate, his college sweetheart he left in order to pursue his career, and to the horrifying discovery that his former life no longer exists. As he stumbles through this alternate suburban universe, Jack finds himself at a crossroad where he must choose between his high-power career and the woman he loves. The Family Man is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 5m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 6.8 by 2,247 people. The movie made an estimated total of $124,700,000 in the box office.

Mr. Popper's Penguins brings fantastic creatures into the life of an otherwise regular adult, whose relationships and routines are thrown off by their magical presence. Both films use animal companions to drive comedic narrative and highlight changing priorities.

Tom Popper is a successful businessman who’s clueless when it comes to the really important things in life...until he inherits six “adorable” penguins, each with its own unique personality. Soon Tom’s rambunctious roommates turn his swank New York apartment into a snowy winter wonderland — and the rest of his world upside-down. Mr. Popper's Penguins is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 34m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 6.0 by 3,203 people. The movie made an estimated total of $187,361,754 in the box office.

Little Nicky uses supernatural elements and a fish-out-of-water protagonist to place fantasy at the heart of a comedic exploration of family, relationships, and belonging. Like Ted, the film finds humor in blending the magical with the mundane and the effects on personal life.

After the lord of darkness decides he will not cede his throne to any of his three sons, the two most powerful of them escape to Earth to create a kingdom for themselves. This action closes the portal filtering sinful souls to Hell and causes Satan to wither away. He must send his most weak but beloved son, Little Nicky, to Earth to return his brothers to Hell. Little Nicky is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 30m runtime, released in 2000 with an average rating of 5.8 by 2,009 people. The movie made an estimated total of $58,292,295 in the box office.

Hancock introduces an extraordinary, super-powered individual into a contemporary world, examining his struggle with relationships and personal responsibility. Similarly, Ted’s talking bear creates unique challenges for those around him, blending fantasy elements into a modern context.

Hancock is a down-and-out superhero who's forced to employ a PR expert to help repair his image when the public grows weary of all the damage he's inflicted during his lifesaving heroics. The agent's idea of imprisoning the antihero to make the world miss him proves successful, but will Hancock stick to his new sense of purpose or slip back into old habits? Hancock is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 32m runtime, released in 2008 with an average rating of 6.4 by 10,361 people. The movie made an estimated total of $629,400,000 in the box office.

Earth to Echo features a group of ordinary kids befriending an extraordinary, non-human companion, whose presence transforms their relationships and adventures. This mix of friendship, otherworldly beings, and disrupted daily life shares key DNA with Ted’s blending of fantasy and modern themes.

After a construction project begins digging in their neighbourhood, best friends Tuck, Munch and Alex inexplicably begin to receive strange, encoded messages on their cell phones. Convinced something bigger is going on, they go to their parents and the authorities. The three embark on a secret adventure to crack the code and follow it to its source, and discover a mysterious being from another world who desperately needs their help. The journey that follows will change all their lives forever. Earth to Echo is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 31m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 5.9 by 621 people. The movie made an estimated total of $45,300,000 in the box office.

Big is about a magical event that brings a childhood wish to reality, exploring how this affects adulthood and relationships. Ted parallels this by using a fantastical premise—a living childhood toy—to create challenges and comedy in navigating adult life and romance.

When a young boy makes a wish at a carnival machine to be big—he wakes up the following morning to find that it has been granted and his body has grown older overnight. But he is still the same 13-year-old boy inside. Now he must learn how to cope with the unfamiliar world of grown-ups including getting a job and having his first romantic encounter with a woman. Big is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 44m runtime, released in 1988 with an average rating of 7.2 by 4,100 people. The movie made an estimated total of $151,927,281 in the box office.

Young Adult centers on an adult struggling to mature and come to terms with adulthood, mirroring Ted’s themes of arrested development and the difficulty of letting go of childish things. Both films dissect the tension between nostalgic attachment and the demands of grown-up relationships.

A divorced writer from the Midwest returns to her hometown to reconnect with an old flame, who's now married with a family. Young Adult is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 34m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 5.8 by 1,371 people. The movie made an estimated total of $22,939,027 in the box office.

Click’s premise revolves around a magical device that alters the protagonist’s relationships and priorities, prompting comic yet poignant consequences. Ted uses the device of a living bear to similarly explore the impact of fantasy on romantic and personal growth.

A married workaholic, Michael Newman doesn't have time for his wife and children, not if he's to impress his ungrateful boss and earn a well-deserved promotion. So when he meets Morty, a loopy sales clerk, he gets the answer to his prayers: a magical remote that allows him to bypass life's little distractions with increasingly hysterical results. Click is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 2006 with an average rating of 6.3 by 7,655 people. The movie made an estimated total of $240,685,326 in the box office.

Enchanted follows a character from a fantasy world suddenly forced to navigate real-world relationships and challenges, blending comedic fish-out-of-water situations with a magical twist. Like Ted, it uses elements of fantasy to explore romance and adulthood in a contemporary setting.

The beautiful princess Giselle is banished by an evil queen from her magical, musical animated land and finds herself in the gritty reality of the streets of modern-day Manhattan. Shocked by this strange new environment that doesn't operate on a "happily ever after" basis, Giselle is now adrift in a chaotic world badly in need of enchantment. But when Giselle begins to fall in love with a charmingly flawed divorce lawyer who has come to her aid - even though she is already promised to a perfect fairy tale prince back home - she has to wonder: Can a storybook view of romance survive in the real world? Enchanted is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 47m runtime, released in 2007 with an average rating of 6.8 by 5,766 people. The movie made an estimated total of $340,487,652 in the box office.

Bruce Almighty centers on a normal man granted supernatural powers, leading to comedic upheaval in his personal and romantic life. This dynamic of magic as a transformative force, upending ordinary relationships, closely aligns with the core of Ted.

Bruce Nolan toils as a "human interest" television reporter in Buffalo, NY, but despite his high ratings and the love of his beautiful girlfriend, Bruce remains unfulfilled. At the end of the worst day in his life, he angrily ridicules God — and the Almighty responds, endowing Bruce with all of His divine powers. Bruce Almighty is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 41m runtime, released in 2003 with an average rating of 6.7 by 11,604 people. The movie made an estimated total of $484,592,874 in the box office.

The Weather Man depicts an adult wrestling with personal and romantic dissatisfaction in the context of everyday life. Though less fantastical than Ted, both films mine humor and pathos from navigating adulthood and the challenge of reconciling personal identity and relationships.

A Chicago weather man, separated from his wife and children, debates whether professional and personal success are mutually exclusive. The Weather Man is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 41m runtime, released in 2005 with an average rating of 6.1 by 1,107 people. The movie made an estimated total of $12,482,775 in the box office.

The Change-Up utilizes a magical event that trades two characters’ lives, forcing them to confront their flaws and relationship issues through comedic mishaps. This use of a fantastical premise to interrogate maturity and responsibility parallels Ted’s approach to blending wish fulfillment and adulthood.

Lifelong friends Dave and Mitch are envious of the other's life. Mitch thinks Dave has it all: a beautiful, loving family and a high-paying job at a prestigious law firm. But Dave thinks Mitch’s stress-free playboy life without obligation or consequence is the real dream come true. One fateful drunken night, they both admit that they wish they had the other’s life while peeing in a fountain when lightning strikes. The next morning, they wake up, hungover, in each other’s bodies! With time not on their side, Mitch and Dave comically struggle to avoid completely destroying each other’s lives before they can find a way to get their old ones back. The Change-Up is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 1h 52m runtime, released in 2011 with an average rating of 6.2 by 3,011 people. The movie made an estimated total of $75,500,000 in the box office.

Toys centers on the boundary between childhood fantasy and adult realities, using animated toys and whimsical inventions to drive the story. Similar to Ted, the movie explores how injecting magic into the everyday world complicates relationships and personal growth.

Leslie Zevo is a fun-loving inventor who must save his late father's toy factory from his evil uncle, Leland, a war-mongering general who rules the operation with an iron fist and builds weapons disguised as toys. Toys is a movie from United States of America in English, with a total 2h 2m runtime, released in 1992 with an average rating of 5.3 by 599 people. The movie made an estimated total of $23,278,931 in the box office.

Frank explores unconventional friendships and the effect of an eccentric, enigmatic companion on personal development. As in Ted, the narrative uses an unusual, almost otherworldly character to challenge the protagonist’s notions of identity, connection, and what it means to grow up.

A young wannabe musician discovers he has bitten off more than he can chew when he joins an eccentric pop band led by the mysterious and enigmatic Frank. Frank is a movie from Ireland in English, with a total 1h 35m runtime, released in 2014 with an average rating of 6.8 by 1,737 people. The movie made an estimated total of $1,897,363 in the box office.