These Heartbreaking Movies Will Give You Your Next Good Cry
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When in doubt, cry it out. You’ve had a tough work week, you scrolled through the doomsday news cycle and now everything looks bleak, you’re nursing a throbbing heartbreak, or you just need a good sob. Whatever the reason, a big, cathartic cry makes you feel better. And no better way to stir up a fresh set of tears than a sad movie–so cue these tear-jerkers.
Turns out, people love getting emotionally destroyed by movies. Maybe you absolutely loose it over movies with animals (and inevitably, their death) like Marley and Me, or sappy, dramatic Titanic -esque romance flicks make you bawl like a baby. You could be a purist and go straight for the jugular with My Sister’s Keeper and Sophie’s Choice. Or let the silent, stricken sorrow of films rooted in reality unravel you **cough**The Florida Project **cough**. Grab some tissues or not (skincare by YourTearsTM), get your emotional support blanket, and let yourself feel all the feels with these 40 best sad movies.
2. If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Everyone's been there—and by there, I mean in need of a good sob. Maybe you’ve had a tough work week, you've spent one too many hours doom-scrolling, or you’re nursing a throbbing heartbreak. Whatever the reason, a big, cathartic cry can make you feel better.
There's a reason for that, too. Researchers have shown that crying releases oxytocin and endogenous opioids (a.k.a. endorphins), the feel-good chemicals that help ease emotional and physical pain, according to Harvard Medical School. And when you need that very specific type of release, there's no better way to stir up a fresh set of tears than a sad movie—so, cue these tear-jerkers.
If you're one of those people who love getting emotionally destroyed by movies, you've come to the right place. Maybe you absolutely lose it over movies with animals (and inevitably, their death) like Marley and Me, or bawl like a baby through sappy, dramatic Titanic-esque romance flicks. You could be a purist and go straight for the jugular with My Sister’s Keeper and Sophie’s Choice. Or let the silent, stricken sorrow of a film rooted in reality unravel you *cough* The Florida Project *cough*.
Grab some tissues or not (skincare by your tears), get your emotional support blanket, and let yourself feel all the feels with these 50 best sad movies.
A Man Called Otto (2022)
Otto Anderson is a cynical, grumpy old man who has given up on life after the death of his wife, Sonya. While preparing to take his own life, he’s repeatedly interrupted by his new neighbors, who wish to befriend him. Reluctant as he may be, Otto forms an unlikely friendship and gradually rediscovers the joy of living.
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Spoiler Alert (2022)
Spoiler Alert follows the 14-year-long relationship of author Michael Ausiello and his partner Kit Cowan, who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Based on Ausiello’s 2017 memoir of the same name, this romantic dramedy is a devastatingly beautiful film that will pull at your heartstrings and leave you in tears.
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A Good Person (2023)
Allison’s life takes a tragic turn when a car accident leaves her with severe depression and an opioid addiction. Starring Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman, this film is about grief, addiction, and learning to forgive yourself.
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Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio (2022)
Director Guillermo del Toro reimagines the original 1883 classic tale of The Adventures of Pinocchio in this stunning stop-motion animated musical film that explores grief, death, friendship, and love.
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A Jazzman's Blues (2022)
Bayou and Leanne are instantly drawn to each other, but racism, lies, and family drama continually pull them apart. Set in 1940s rural Georgia, A Jazzman’s Blues is a heartbreaking forbidden love story that will move you to tears.
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To Leslie (2022)
Years after winning the lottery, Leslie is now a single mother and struggling alcoholic who is forced to move back to her rural hometown in West Texas after she gets evicted. Things start to look up for her, though, when she finds her way to an old motel and meets a man named Sweeney, who offers her a job.
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Soul (2020)
Soul follows the story of Joe, a middle school band teacher whose true aspiration is to be a jazz musician. On the day of his dream gig, he accidentally falls down an open manhole and becomes a disembodied soul. Refusing to accept his own death, he’s given the chance to return to his body if he can discover the purpose of his life. You’ll definitely need tissues on hand for this touching animated movie.
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All the Bright Places (2020)
Violet struggles with survivor’s guilt after the death of her sister, while Finch is a loner battling with past trauma and suicidal thoughts. When the two teenagers become partners for a class project that requires them to explore their hometown of Indiana together, they begin to learn more about each other and form a deep bond that changes their lives. Tissues are a must for this heartbreaking coming-of-age drama.
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Les Misérables (2012)
Set in early 19th century France, Les Misérables tells the story of Valjean, a poor man who is released from prison and determined to redeem himself. Along the way, he is swept into an anti-monarchist uprising and continually hunted by a police inspector, all while trying to provide a promising future for a young girl named Cosette. Based on the award-winning musical, this poignant film hits hard.
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All Quiet on the Western Front (2022)
Paul Bäumer enlists in the German Army with his three friends to proudly serve their country during WW1. Their passionate patriotism quickly dissipates when faced with the brutal realities and horrors of life on the battlefield. With breathtaking cinematography and a haunting musical score, All Quiet on the Western Front is an extremely somber anti-war film.
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If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Based on James Baldwin's 1974 novel of the same name, If Beale Street Could Talk is a love story set in 1970s Harlem about love, family, and injustice. Your heart will flutter and ache for these young lovers trying to make it in a world that does not love them back. Prepare for the type of sad that weighs in your soul and sets off silent streams of tears.
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Five Feet Apart (2019)
Two teenagers, both battling cystic fibrosis, meet in the hospital and fall in love, despite strict restrictions to keep a safe distance between each other. With a premise like that, Five Feet Apart is an automatic tear-jerker. But it's also a beautiful drama about experiencing first love and navigating the unknowns and uncertainties of life.
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The Last Song (2010)
Following a troubled teenager who finds love over the course of a devastating, emotional summer, The Last Song is the greatest love story to come out of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth's marriage. Seriously, if you searched "how to make someone cry," this movie would come up first.
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Marley & Me (2008)
It's impossible not to tear up watching this story about the unconditional love between humans and dogs. I remember seeing this when it came out, and I had to leave the theater for a quick sec because I was so distraught (complete breakdown, uncontrollable sobs, et cetera).
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Marriage Story (2019)
Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson play a stage director and his actor wife, struggling through a grueling divorce. Their performances are next-level, depicting the grief, anger, and devastation of breaking up a family. Tissues are a necessity, not a recommendation.
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Inside Out (2015)
There's something about children's movies that can rattle grown adults to their core. Inside Out might be an animated film, but its message of learning to embrace the wholeness of ourselves and giving ourselves permission to feel everything is all too real. You'll sit in silence with tears streaming down your face for a bit after this one.
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Call Me by Your Name (2017)
A beautiful film about romantic melancholy and loss, maturation and self-discovery, erotic exploration and first love between two young men, Call Me by Your Name captures intimacy in all its forms and pulls at your heartstrings.
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Sophie's Choice (1982)
Sophie's Choice won Meryl Streep her first Academy Award for Best Actress as a Holocaust survivor and mother forced to make unimaginable decisions. It's deeply moving, heartbreaking, and transformative. There aren't enough tears to cover the emotional heft of this film.
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The Notebook (2004)
There's romance, and then there's Nicholas Sparks. Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams star in this whirlwind of a love story that hits HARD.
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The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Will Smith stars in this touching story about a struggling single father and son who get evicted from their apartment and are forced to live in shelters. Despite various obstacles, he refuses to give into despair as he works to create a better life for himself and his son.
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Titanic (1997)
Ready the tissues for this classic film about young love with iconic scene after iconic scene. It's based on the true story of the 1912 RMS Titanic shipwreck, but the fictional star-crossed romance between Jack and Rose has wrecked audiences for more than 25 years.
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Atonement (2007)
Set in 1935 England, two young lovers are torn apart by a lie constructed by a jealous younger sister. Atonement is betrayal, longing, and loss tied up in one devastating romance. Tear level: 10.
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Manchester by the Sea (2016)
After the death of his older brother, a janitor from Boston returns to his hometown of Manchester-by-the-Sea to take care of his late brother's teenage son, and is forced to face his broken past. A film about the heavy burden of grief, loss, and guilt, it's a painful, yet powerful movie.
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Me Before You (2016)
A young woman takes on the job as caretaker of a wealthy young man who is paralyzed from a previous accident. His cynical outlook begins to change when she shows him the beauty of life.
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Up (2009)
Prepare for another tearjerker, courtesy of Pixar. A young boy opens the world back up to a lonely old man who lost the love of his life. This animated movie hits all the real emotions, hard.
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The Florida Project (2017)
This coming-of-age story follows a six-year-old girl living with her unemployed, single mother in Magic Castle, a motel in Florida right outside Disney World. The realities of impending homelessness, poverty, and desperation are a stark contrast to the dream-like world of Magic Kingdom. A raw portrait of childhood, The Florida Project is heartbreaking.
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Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
After an American firebombing separates Seita and his younger sister Setsuko from their parents during WW2, the orphaned siblings are left completely dependent on each other while trying to survive in the countryside. Grave of the Fireflies is, hands down, one of the saddest films you’ll ever watch.
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Forrest Gump (1994)
Forever a classic, Forrest Gump will run into your hearts and stay there. Played by Tom Hanks, Forrest may be different, but his love and selflessness leave a monumental impact everywhere he goes.
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The Fault In Our Stars (2014)
Adapted from John Green's famous novel, two teens fall in love while fighting cancer in this drama. The movie not just pulls, but drags your heartstrings and makes a hurricane of your tears.
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Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal play two cowboys who fall in love while working as sheep herders. Brokeback Mountain follows the tortured and tumultuous love affair between two men who can't afford to call it that.
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A Beautiful Mind (2001)
In this biographical drama, the life of mathematical genius John Forbes Nash, Jr. takes an unexpected, painful turn. Russell Crowe gives an extraordinary performance portraying the depths of mental illness.
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My Sister's Keeper (2009)
If you're searching for a beginning-to-end, non-stop waterfalls of tears type of movie, look no further. My Sister's Keeper makes me weep just thinking about the unthinkable choices each character is forced to make.
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Million Dollar Baby (2004)
When a determined female boxer enlists the help of a guarded trainer, both broken individuals form an unbreakable bond. A movie about the relationships that save us, Million Dollar Baby hits hard.
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Love Story (1970)
When I think of true love, Oliver and Jenny come to mind. The epic love story follows a young woman and young man from different backgrounds who fall in love at first sight. But their instant connection is tested by the obstacles and sacrifices in life.
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Dead Poets Society (1989)
In this cult classic, the great Robin Williams plays an English teacher at an intense prep school who helps his students embrace their true selves.
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The Big Sick (2017)
The fact that this is based off of the real-life love story between Pakistani comic Kumail Nanjiani (who plays himself in the film) and American grad student Emily Gordon (his real-life wife) makes this even more of a heartwarming tale.
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Revolutionary Road (2008)
Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio team up again in this 1950s-era drama as a couple attempting to deal with their personal problems, while desperate to escape the conventional mold of suburbia.
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Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
A six-year-old girl relies on her imagination to survive a storm all alone in the deep Louisiana bayou. The strength and wisdom from such a small human is as powerful as it is poignant.
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Coco (2017)
An animated movie about death that triggers waterworks in adults yet delightfully entertains children, Coco is a moving story about the importance of family and honoring the memory of those who are no longer with us.
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Precious (2009)
Sixteen-year-old Calireece "Precious" Jones gets impregnated by her father for a second time, is abused by her mother, and cannot read or write. But she's determined to create a better life for herself. Precious follows the journey of a young woman from oppression to empowerment.
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The Lovely Bones (2009)
A young girl's spirit comes back to guide her loved ones in discovering the truth of her murder, as they grapple with loss, tragedy, and self-blame. This whole movie is tinged in sadness and horror.
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Schindler's List (1993)
Based on the true story of Oskar Schindler, a German businessman who saved over a thousand Jewish people from concentration camps by employing them at his factory during World War 2, Schindler's List is one of the greatest Holocaust films of all time.
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A Star Is Born (2018)
Lady Gaga stuns as Ally, a singer with dreams of making it big time, but soon learns that fame comes with a price. Her chemistry with Bradley Cooper will make you swoon, but that ending will make you sob.
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Kramer Vs Kramer (1979)
Meryl Streep delivers an Oscar-winning performance as a wife and mother who leaves her husband and child. Dustin Hoffman also gives us some stellar acting with his intimate portrayal of a heartbroken father. Utterly devastating, Kramer Vs Kramer captures the raw pain of divorce.
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Fruitvale Station (2013)
Inspired by the tragic death of Oscar Grant, a young man killed in 2009 by a BART police officer at the Fruitvale station in Oakland, Fruitvale Station is a powerful film about police brutality, violence, and race.
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The English Patient (1996)
Get swept up in this passionate love affair between a badly burned man and his nurse near the end of World War 2.
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Pieces of a Woman (2020)
Few movies shed light on the profound grief and emotional trauma of losing a newborn. Pieces of a Woman captures the unsurmountable weight of such an experience.
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To The Bone (2017)
A Netflix original, To The Bone follows a young woman (played by Lily Collins) as she battles a severe eating disorder. Your eyes will swell while watching such a close-up, raw look into the inner workings of this very real mental and physical illness.
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Dallas Buyers Club (2013)
Matthew McConaughey won Best Actor in his Oscar-winning performance as Ron Woodroof, a man in 1980s Texas who is diagnosed with AIDS and told that he has just 30 days left to live. The film tells a powerful, moving story about the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the failure of the medical establishment to approve treatment and drugs that could have saved so many.
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12 Years a Slave (2013)
Set during one of the darkest periods in our country's history, this movie captures the brutality, violence, and inhumanity of slavery. It's a phenomenal, harrowing film that will undo you. Sad doesn't begin to cover it.
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