play for laughs

Could the “Till Eulenspiegel” play for laughs a touch more?

Her prose doesn’t play for laughs, but humor stems from Bushnell’s pithy matter-of-factness.

It can play for laughs — a high school, pre-mustache Minshew chomping on peanut butter while watching his pals play baseball.

We see her taking the bus home one afternoon, and then falling afoul of a freak accident, which Soderbergh has the nerve to play for laughs.

The latter version of the character is easier to play for laughs, and maybe “Kidding” feels it needs all of those it can get.