Movies Like Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch

If you liked Joe Palooka in the Counterpunch (1949), a action and comedy movie directed by Reginald Le Borg, here are 20 movies with a similar feel, based on TMDB's recommendations. Each one links to its cast, trailer and where it's streaming.

1
Shadow of the Thin Man (1941)
★ 7/10Also comedy and crime
While attending a major horse race with their young son, Nick Jr., Nick and Nora Charles witnesse a shocking murder from the crowded grandstand. What first appears to be an isolated killing soon leads to a maze of…
2
Song of the Thin Man (1947)
★ 6.7/10Also comedy and crime
While attending a glamorous jazz cruise on New York’s East River, Nick and Nora Charles witness the fatal shooting of a wealthy patron. When suspicion falls on a young bandleader and his musicians, the couple steps in…
3
Hostile Takeover (2025)
★ 6.9/10Also action and comedy
Follows Pete, a professional hitman, as he faces a group of assassins after the boss of a crime syndicate suspects disloyalty due to his attendance at Workaholics Anonymous meetings.
4
Another Thin Man (1939)
★ 7.1/10Also comedy and mystery
Nick and Nora Charles are back - and this time, they have a baby, a wealthy new client, and another murder to solve! Retired detective Nick is enjoying family life with Nora and their young son, Nick Jr., when…
5
See Spot Run (2001)
★ 6.1/10Also comedy and action
A drug sniffing agent canine is a target for an assassin boss so the FBI calls Witness Protection to send him somewhere else. Meanwhile a single Mom puts her 6 year old boy James in the care of her irresponsible…
6
Fun with Dick and Jane (1977)
★ 6.6/10Also comedy and crime
When an upwardly mobile couple find themselves unemployed and in debt, they turn to armed robbery in desperation.
7
Wrong Cops (2013)
★ 6.1/10Also crime and comedy
A group of bad cops look to dispose of a body that one of them accidentally shot.
8
The Thin Man Goes Home (1944)
★ 7.1/10Also comedy and mystery
Hoping for a peaceful visit with his parents in the small town of Sycamore Springs, Nick Charles and his wife Nora soon find themselves surrounded by old rivalries, family tensions, and a mysterious murder. Nick’s…
9
LaRoy, Texas (2024)
★ 6.8/10Also crime and comedy
Broke and depressed, Ray is mistaken for a dangerous hitman and given an envelope of cash. Along with his P.I. friend Skip, he must escape the actual hitman to make it out of LaRoy alive.
10
Airborne (1993)
★ 6.1/10Also action and comedy
Good-natured teen surfer Mitchell Goosen finds himself staying with his aunt and uncle in Cincinnati, Ohio when his parents head to Australia for work. There he meets his cousin, Wiley, and together they try to…
11
LEGO DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League - Attack of the Legion of Doom! (2015)
★ 6.6/10Also action and comedy
Crime is on the run as the newly formed Justice League keeps Metropolis safe and this makes evil genius Lex Luthor very unhappy. Together with Black Manta, Sinestro and a gang of ruthless recruits, Lex builds his own…
12
A Shot in the Dark (1964)
★ 7.2/10Also comedy and mystery
Inspector Jacques Clouseau, smitten with the accused maid Maria Gambrelli, unwittingly turns a straightforward murder investigation into a comedic series of mishaps, testing the patience of his irritable boss Charles…
13
Double Threat (2022)
★ 6.2/10Also action and comedy
With ruthless mobsters on her tail, a young woman with a split personality becomes entangled with a man on a pilgrimage across the country to scatter his brother's ashes.
14
Henry Danger: The Movie (2025)
★ 7.7/10Also action and comedy
Henry Hart meets a superfan—eager to fight crime with Kid Danger—who comes into possession of a device that can open up alternate realities. Facing a wild ride, Henry will need his best friend Jasper and his new…
15
The Glass Key (1942)
★ 6.7/10Also crime and mystery
A crooked politician finds himself being accused of murder by a gangster from whom he refused help during a re-election campaign.
16
Any Which Way You Can (1980)
★ 5.8/10Also action and comedy
Philo takes part in a bare knuckle fight – as he does – to make more money than he can earn from his car repair business. He decides to retire, but when the Mafia come along and arrange another fight, he's pushed into…
17
Kung Fu Panda: Secrets of the Masters (2011)
★ 6.5/10Also action and comedy
Po and the Furious Five uncover the legend of three of kung fu's greatest heroes: Master Thundering Rhino, Master Storming Ox, and Master Croc.
18
The Adventure of Sherlock Holmes' Smarter Brother (1975)
★ 6/10Also comedy and crime
After spending decades living in the shadow of his more famous and successful sibling, Consulting Detective Sigerson Holmes is called upon to help solve a crucial case that leads him on a hilarious trail of false…
19
LEGO DC Batman: Family Matters (2019)
★ 6.7/10Also action and comedy
Suspicion is on high after Batman, Batgirl, Robin and other DC superheroes receive mysterious invitations. However, family values must remain strong when Batman and his team encounter the villainous Red Hood, who is…
20
Secret Society of Second-Born Royals (2020)
★ 6.6/10Also action and comedy
A rebellious teenage princess discovers she has superhuman abilities and joins a secret society of extraordinary second-born royals tasked with protecting the world.