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Easily earning a spot among some of the most hilarious female comedians (or even just comedians in general) working these days is Iliza Shlesinger. Since being named winner of Last Comic Standing Season 6 in 2008, the now 38-year-old has gone on to tickle audiences with her many popular stand-up comedy specials on Netflix and surprise some with her performances in movies that have proved to be either slightly or dramatically different from the kind of work that made her famous.
To get your proper fill on all the best that the comic has had to offer in her career so far, check out the following list of Iliza Shlesinger movies, shows, and comedy specials available to stream or rent online, starting with a film that is very personal to her.
Good On Paper (Netfllix)
A successful, workaholic comedian (Iliza Shlesinger) falls in love with a stranger (Veronica Mars cast member Ryan Hansen) she meets on an airplane who seems to be everything she had ever hoped for in a man, until she begins to suspect that he was stretching the truth with all of the stories he charmed her with.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: What makes rom-com Good on Paper (directed by GLOW’s Kimmy Gatewood) one of the most intriguing 2021 new movie releases is that star and writer Iliza Shlesinger based it on a true story from her own life.
Stream Good On Paper on Netflix.
Instant Family (Amazon Rental)
A married man (Mark Wahlberg) and woman (Rose Byrne) looking to adopt a child become foster parents to three children when the teenager they want to adopt (Isabela Merced) turns out to be a package deal with her younger brother (Gustavo Esocbar) and sister (Julianna Gamiz).
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: Also inspired by a true story is the heartwarming 2018 family dramedy, Instant Family, which also stars fellow comedian Tig Notaro, and Iliza Shlesinger - who appears as a single mother looking to have her own The Blind Side moment when she visits the adoption center.
Rent Instant Family on Amazon.
Spenser Confidential (Netflix)
After he is released from prison, a disgraced ex-cop (Mark Wahlberg) teams up with his reluctant roommate (Black Panther’s Winston Duke) to investigate the murders of his former colleagues.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: Two years after Instant Family, Iliza Shlesinger reunited with Mark Wahlberg to play the feisty, heavily Boston-accented ex-girlfriend of his titular character in Spenser Confidential - a Netflix original buddy action flick from director Peter Berg, inspired by Robert B. Parker’s popular series of crime novels.
Stream Spenser Confidential On Netflix.
Paradise (Tubi)
A conservative Christian woman (Dancing with the Stars Julianne Hough) suffers an identity crisis after barely surviving a plane crash causes her to question her faith.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: Iliza Shlesinger makes her acting debut as a Las Vegas stripper unenthusiastically singing karaoke in Paradise (the directorial debut of Diablo Cody, the Academy Award-winning writer of Juno) - a witty exploration of how one struggles to be inspired after losing grip of all their inspiration.
Pieces Of A Woman (Netflix)
The lives of a Boston woman (Vanessa Kirby) and her husband (Shia LaBeouf) suffer life-changing consequences after their daughter dies in the middle of her birth.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: Iliza Shlesinger really goes for the jugular in her dramatic acting debut as the sister of a woman struggling to rebuild her life after suffering a devastating tragedy in Pieces of a Woman - a drama from producer Martin Scorsese that has been called one of the best movies on Netflix for Vanessa Kirby’s heartbreaking portrayal of grief.
Stream Pieces of a Woman on Netflix.
The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show (Netflix)
Pop culture, politics, and common gender roles are among the many topics explored in a variety of short satirical segments starring Iliza Shlesinger.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: A good way to cleanse your palate after watching a drama as scarring as Pieces of a Woman would be to watch a series as light and funny as The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show - a six-episode Netflix original series that expands on the comedian’s signature comedy style in the form of dramatized segments.
Stream The Iliza Shlesinger Sketch Show on Netflix.
The Right One (Hulu)
An author (Australian actress Cleopatra Coleman) suffering from writer’s block while penning her latest novel finds inspiration and love with a strange man (comedian Nick Thune) who constantly, and mysteriously, changes his appearance and personality day after day.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: Iliza Shlesinger plays the role of Cleopatra Coleman’s longtime editor and trusted friend in The Right One, a unique romantic comedy from writer and director Ken Mok.
Stream The Right One on Hulu. *
Rent The Right One on Amazon.*
The Opening Act (Amazon Rental)
A down-on-his-luck cubicle worker and aspiring stand-up comic (Jimmy O. Yang from the Silicon Valley cast) finally gets the opportunity of a lifetime opening for his idol (Cedric the Entertainer), but ends up questioning if he picked the right career goal when the show does not go like he hoped.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: A slew of popular comedians fill up the cast of The Opening Act (the scripted directorial debut of comic Steve Byrne), including Bill Burr, Whitney Cummings, Neal Brennan, and, of course, Iliza Shlseinger - who gives Jimmy O. Yang’s character a hard time when he appears on a morning radio show.
Rent The Opening Act on Amazon.
Iliza Shlesinger: War Paint (Amazon Prime, Tubi, Crackle, Peacock, Pluto TV)
The comedian performs at the Lakewood Theater in her hometown of Dallas, Texas.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: In her first ever comedy special (subtitled War Paint), Iliza Shlesinger proves that innocent looks can be deceiving with her scathing commentary on everything from what happens on a girls’ night out to the programming you find on TLC.
Stream Iliza Shlesinger: War Paint on Amazon Prime.
Stream Iliza Shlesinger: War Paint on Tubi.
Stream Iliza Shlesinger: War Paint on Crackle.
Stream Iliza Shlesinger: War Paint on Peacock.
Stream Iliza Shlesinger: War Paint on Pluto TV.
Rent Iliza Shlesinger: War Paint on Amazon.
Iliza Shlesinger: Freezing Hot (Netflix)
The comedian performs at the Gothic Theater in Englewood, Colorado.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: In her first ever Netflix original comedy special (subtitled Freezing Hot), Iliza Shlesinger introduces her audience to a persona known as the “Party Goblin” and riffs on gender stereotypes, such as why women cannot stand low temperatures but still love the fall season.
Stream Iliza Shlesinger: Freezing Hot on Netflix.
Rent Iliza Shlesinger: Freezing Hot on Amazon.
Iliza Shlesinger: Confirmed Kills (Netflix)
The comedian cranks up the heat a bit more when delivering more of her poignant observational wit to the stage.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: In her second ever Netflix original comedy special (subtitled Confirmed Kills and directed by comedy icon Bobcat Goldthwait), Iliza Shlesinger revisits her inner Party Goblin, puts an end to any young woman’s dreams of being a mermaid, and more.
Stream Confirmed Kills on Netflix.
Iliza: Elder Millennial (Netflix)
The comedian kicks up her brazen social commentary, and to its most ferocious level yet, when performing inside an aircraft carrier.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: In her fourth Netflix original comedy special (and my personal favorite of hers, subtitled Elder Millennial) Iliza Shlesinger pokes fun at her own life as a freshly 35, recently engaged member of the dying Generation Y breed.
Stream Iliza: Elder Millennial on Netflix.
Iliza: Unveiled (Netflix)
The comedian hits a new high in the level of intensity she brings to her performance when giving her Tennessee audience a huge life update.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: In her fifth Netflix original comedy special (aptly subtitled Unveiled) Iliza Shlesinger pokes fun at her life as a recently married woman by critiquing the common traditions of matrimony through retelling her own personal wedding story.
Stream Iliza Shlesinger: Unveiled on Netflix.
Iliza Shlesinger: Over And Over (Amazon Prime, Tubi, Peacock, Pluto TV)
The comedian breaks down her own process for conducting a stand-up set and relives the trials and tribulations of touring the country to inspire laughs.
Why it’s worth checking out if you like Iliza Shlesinger: Directed by Jonah Miles and filmed while the comedian was preparing for her fourth Netflix original comedy special, Iliza Shlesinger: Over and Over is a revealing documentary that is surefire must for anyone curious about what the life of a comedian is like.
Stream Iliza Shlesinger: Over and Over on Amazon Prime.
Stream Iliza Shlesinger: Over and Over on Tubi.
Stream Iliza Shlesinger: Over and Over on Peacock.
Stream Iliza Shlesinger: Over and Over on Pluto TV.
Rent Iliza Shlesinger: Over and Over on Amazon.
With her impeccable skills of observation, razor sharp wit, and larger than life personality, I am surprised that Iliza Shlesinger is not widely considered an icon of the comedy world. But, I am sure it is only a matter of time.
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