These Sad Romantic Movies Will Have You *All* In Your Feels This V-Day
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Feeling a bit gloomy with Cupid’s lovey-dovey holiday looming? Or, perhaps you’re in a healthy, happy relationship, but you’re in the mood for a movie that will make you feel a bit ~emo~? Fear not, there are tons of sad romance movies that are guaranteed to leave you feeling all the feels—and maybe even questioning if love is worth the (sometimes inevitable) pain.
The genre of sad romance movies exists to remind us of love’s inherent imperfections, especially in a world where Instagram makes you question the picture-perfectness of relationships. In reality, nothing and no one is perfect. Life comes with ups and downs—be it a heart wrenching breakup, unexpected life tragedy, or simply a painful late-night argument. While the rom-com exists to help you laugh through the messiness, the sad romance movie—or rom-sad, if you will—allows you to sit with romantic grief and ponder the complexity of love.
Fortunately, if you have no clue which movie to watch tonight, WH has rounded up the best of the best sad romantic movies. So, grab your favorite ice cream, cozy up with your significant other or your closest girlfriends, and indulge in a cathartic crying session with one of these heartbreaking films.
Titanic (1997)
The true story of the Titanic is heartbreaking, and naturally, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio elevate the drama and romance of this Oscar-winning flick. To think if only that door was just a tad bit bigger—although some say perhaps it was big enough for them both—there might have been a happily ever after. *Cue the tears and violins.*
The Notebook (2004)
There’s nothing like a decades-long love story and the sweetest elderly couple you’ve ever seen to tug at your heartstrings and give you a nice long cry. Add in Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, and you’re guaranteed to feel like you’re in a parasocial relationship with this fictional couple.
The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
Based on the 2012 novel by John Green, The Fault in Our Stars tells the heart wrenchingly beautiful tale of two teenagers falling in love while navigating cancer. The film captures the sweet but tragic nature of their relationship, which will have you reaching for the tissue box.
TW: Cancer
Blue Valentine (2010)
This movie might give you some whiplash: It depicts those butterflies you feel from a new relationship, and then the sadness that can come from a failing marriage.Seriously, it might have you wondering if love really is worth it. However, if you’re falling in love with someone as charming as Ryan Gosling or Michelle Williams, it probably is—even if the relationship does result in a terribly painful ending.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
This one is for the people who enjoy a good cry, but also want to feel like an auteur about it. If you’ve ever thought erasing your memories would be the easiest way to move on from a breakup, this movie will have you rethinking that idea. This film blends the classic romance genre with sci-fi, which will leave you with a unique feeling of love, sadness, and, of course, lots of tears.
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
If Beale Street Could Talk is a gorgeous film that tells the story of a profound romance, which unfolds as a couple faces the harsh realities of false accusations in the face of systemic injustice. Their love is put to the test, weaving a poignant narrative of heartbreak and resilience.
TW: Racism
Blue Jay (2016)
This movie is a deep cut that deserves to be on every sad romance movie list. Mark Duplass and Sarah Paulson give a masterclass in acting in this absolute tearjerker that will have you contemplating calling up your high school sweetheart, just in case they actually are the one that got away. (But maybe don’t do that without talking to your therapist first!)
500 Days of Summer (2009)
It’s a story of boy-meets-girl with a classic soundtrack and a nonlinear narrative that’ll get you in your feels. The tumultuous relationship of Tom and Summer—played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, respectively—captures the elation of falling in love, the ache of unmet expectations, and *that* crushing feeling of heartbreak.
A Star is Born (2018)
I am always shocked by the number of people who play “Shallow” at their wedding. It’s a great song, but it’s pretty sad, given how this movie turned out. Spoiler alert: It wasn’t exactly happily ever after. Witness Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper deliver incredible performances that will leave you in a puddle of tears.
TW: Alcoholism, Suicide
Marriage Story (2019)
Raw, emotional, and scarily realistic, Marriage Story depicts the challenges of divorce between two people who still care for each other and want to do what’s best for their kid. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johannsson give Oscar-nominated performances with a fight scene that will not only make you sob, but also inspire memes for years to come.
Blue is the Warmest Color (2013)
Blue Is the Warmest Color is a deeply emotional and passionate exploration of a tumultuous romance between two young women. The film portrays the complexities of love, heartbreak, and self-discovery that will stay with you long after the movie ends.
Me Before You (2016)
Based on the 2012 book, Me Before You takes viewers on a journey of love and tears in the English countryside. Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin’s characters develop a beautiful and ultimately heartbreaking relationship that will leave you feeling both hopeful and devastated.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Brokeback Mountain tells the story of two cowboys who form a deep bond, but shield it in order to meet societal expectations. The film beautifully captures the complexities of their forbidden love and the impact it has over the course of their lives.
A Walk To Remember (2002)
Terminal illness combined with a love story will always be a gut punch, and A Walk To Remember is no exception. A young Mandy Moore plays a teen who knows she will die young, yet can’t help falling in love with the bad boy in school. This early-2000s flick will wrap you up in nostalgia and heartbreak.
TW: Terminal Illness
The Last Song (2010)
This movie is a must-see for anyone who’s a fan of the rom-sad genre—mostly because of the lead actors’ own complicated IRL romance that left many of us in tears. The Last Song starring Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth gives us a classic summer romance between two teenagers struggling with personal and family issues, all of which put their relationship to the test.
Twilight: New Moon (2009)
This is the movie that blessed us with the greatest ~in your feels~ song to ever exist: “Roslyn” by Bon Iver and St. Vincent. Since Bella spends 95 percent of this movie in a state of depression that would have most parents seeking professional help for their kids, it earns a spot on this list. Whether you’re Team Edward or Team Jacob, this flick will leave you feeling a hollow type of sadness.
Dear John (2010)
No one knows the genre of sad romance movies better than Nicholas Sparks, who wrote the O.G. 2006 book, Dear John, about two beautiful humans, one love story, and too many tears to count. Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum play characters who fall in love before his deployment, and the two exchange letters that keep their long-distance love tugging at your heartstrings.
If I Stay (2014)
If you didn’t cry while watching any of the other movies, know that tears are pretty much guaranteed with this one. If I Stay is a heart wrenching romance that revolves around Mia (played by Chloë Grace Moretz), a talented cellist, and her musician boyfriend Adam. When a tragic car accident shatters their lives, Mia must grapple with the devastating choice of either fighting for her life in a world without her family or choosing to join them on the other side, creating a poignant exploration of love and loss.
Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012)
With Rashida Jones and Andy Samberg as the leads, you’d think you’re being set up for a hilarious comedy, but I mean it when I say these two bring the emotion. The film explores love, divorce, and the bittersweet challenges that come with moving on from a relationship.
La La Land (2016)
Everyone knows La La Land is a stunning and whimsical musical, but it’s also so much more than that. It has a surprisingly bittersweet plot about the sacrifices made in pursuit of artistic ambitions. Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling dazzle on screen (and will make you cry off-screen) as you reflect on the cost of personal and professional choices made in the face of love.
Adrift (2018)
A harrowing true story that will have you gripping your seat the entire time, Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin wow with their performances in Adrift. This film gives you a true sense of seasickness, not just from the waves surging around the young couple’s boat, but the grief that will overtake you as you watch their story unfold.
Atonement (2007)
You can thank the casting directors of Atonement for giving Saoirse Ronan her film debut. However, you will never forgive her character in this film for preventing Kiera Knightley and James McAvoy’s characters from being together. Based on the 2001 novel of the same name, this film will leave you both angry and heartbroken.
TW: Rape
My Girl (1991)
My Girl is a coming of age film that will make you remember the perfection of being young, innocent, and in that wonderful state that's somewhere between friendship and a childlike crush. Filled with nostalgia, innocence, and sweet humor, this movie starring Macaulay Culkin and Jamie Lee Curtis is sure to get you in your feels.
Revolutionary Road (2008)
The story of a disintegrating marriage gets me every time. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet evoke tears in this tragic story—based on a 1961 book of the same name—of a love gone sideways in the face of societal expectations and the idea of the “American Dream.”
The English Patient (1996)
Ahh, war and love. Combine the two, and you’ll always get something devastating. The English Patient tells the tragic love story of a burn victim and memories of his passionate affair with a married woman, set against the backdrop of World War II. Oh, and it includes an all-star cast that features Ralph Fiennes, Willem Dafoe, and Colin Firth.
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