30 Movies That Will Make You Cry
It feels like maintaining a reasonable level of mental health is particularly challenging right now, whether we’re talking about clinical depression or just a general feeling of anxiety brought on by being bombarded with negative news far more frequently than on a daily basis. . So, a little self-care is rarely a bad idea, and while this is in no way a clinical recommendation, I find that a good cry is often the best way to make yourself feel a little better. Just as sad songs are often a source of comfort in dark times, sad movies are often just what you need to cry.
Some films earn tears honestly, while others are more manipulative and are sometimes disparagingly called tear-jerkers. However, I’m not sure how important this is: many of us are naturally leery of entertainment that moves us, but as with a good jump scare or a thrilling action sequence, there is a skill and an art to tugging at our emotional chords . Just thinking about some of these movies, which are enough to make all but the hardest of you cry, makes me feel foggy.
Before we go any further, however, a warning: It’s hard to talk about what makes these films cry without going into spoilers. Proceed with caution.
Past Lives (2023)
Greta Lee plays Nora, whose family emigrated from South Korea to the United States when she was a child. Years later, and then several years later, she is reunited with childhood friend Hae-sung (Teo Yoo), forcing her to reconsider her life as it is and as it could be.
A bit of a tearjerker: I’m not sure there’s a specific moment here (this is not a tearjerker), but the film’s ending – with its cumulative sense of love, loss and roads not taken – packs a powerful emotional punch. Posting the trailer here brought tears to my eyes.
Where to watch: Paramount+ , digital rental
Dancer in the Dark (2000)
The minimalist cinema of Dogme ’95 is somehow combined with Douglas Sirk-style melodrama, mixed in a stripped-down homage to the artificiality of the old Hollywood musical. Starring none other than the distinguished Icelandic singer Björk (who obviously had a hard time during filming ), it’s a very strange and strangely compelling story about a Czech immigrant who finds herself in increasingly difficult times while trying to get money for a medical procedure. which will save her son’s sight.
Worst of all: Björk and company create such a compelling (if dark) fantasy world that the film’s ultra-dark conclusion is astonishing.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Sounder (1972)
A sharecropping family in rural Louisiana, led by Cicely Tyson and Paul Winfield, is tragically shattered when Nathan Lee Morgan of Winfield is arrested for stealing food.
Some Crying : Sounder the dog is a relatively minor part of the film, and while he does get injured, you don’t have to fear any dog-related tragedies. This is the kind of thing that really brings tears to the eyes when a family is reunited.
Where to watch: Prime Video , Peacock , Tubi
Beaches (1988)
Bette Midler has never been as sentimental as she is in this film, chronicling the ups and downs of her lifelong friendship with Barbara Hershey, starting with Midler’s character played by Mayim Bialik. While history has never established “Beaches” as an all-time classic, there were a couple of years during which the haunting melodies of “Wind Beneath My Wings” were entirely unavoidable. Be warned, though: I was listening to this soundtrack on repeat around the time it first appeared on television, and I’m pretty sure it turned me gay.
A bit of a cry: You can see the death scene coming from all over the beach, but only the hardest heart wouldn’t feel the pain as CeCe and Hillary watch the final sunset.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Love Story (1970)
A Love Story may be less a work of genius than a masterpiece of emotional manipulation—it’s a classic tearjerker in the best tradition of the form. Love means never having to apologize, and I won’t apologize for this recommendation.
A bit of a cry: After establishing the central couple’s sweet, opposites-attracting relationship and marriage, we’re prepared for tragedy when Oliver (Ryan O’Neal) finds out that Jenny (Ali MacGraw) is terminally ill and tries to hide the diagnosis from her (which , apparently could have been done around 1970). Alas, this is not a film about successful treatment and permanent remission.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Goodbye Mister Chips (1939)
A young suffragette (Greer Garson) breaks the tough, stuffy, very British reserve of teacher Charles Edward Chipping (Robert Donat)
Some Crying : After his lover dies during childbirth, Mr. Chips returns to class with his upper lip completely starched. It is clear that he has lost not only his love, but also the joy of life that she helped him find.
Where to watch: digital rental.
If Beale Street Could Talk (2018)
Based on the novel by James Baldwin and directed by Moonlight ‘s Barry Jenkins, it is the tragic story of a young couple (played by KiKi Layne and Stefan James) torn apart by false accusations and injustice.
A bit of a cry: I’m not sure there’s a single moment here, and that’s a credit to the non-linear film. As we delve deep into the couple’s story, we are overcome with a pervasive sense of sadness and injustice. The most emotional moment is perhaps near the end, when Tish realizes that there is no hope of righting the injustice that landed Fanny in prison.
Where to watch: Peacock , Starz, digital rental
The Color Purple (1985)
Steven Spielberg stars Whoopi Goldberg as abused Celie, separated from her beloved sister at a young age in rural Georgia in the early 20th century. This is a better adaptation of Alice Walker’s famous novel than she is often given credit for.
A bit of crying: the greatest suffering occurs closer to the beginning than to the end. And while there are moments of tears throughout, the real catharsis comes when we finally feel like things are finally (finally) starting to look up in the search for Miss Celie and company. You are encouraged to cry during the sad moments and the happy ending.
Where to watch: Tubi, digital rental.
Steel Magnolias (1989)
These things used to be called “chick flicks,” as if the mere presence of women at the top of the cast list was enough to place a film in its own genre. Even so, starring legendary actors Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis and Julia Roberts, this is the Avengers of films set largely in a beauty salon.
A Little Crying : The film’s death scene is shocking, but less so than Sally Field’s disintegration at the graveside, both because of its own emotional power and because of her realization that she is not alone. Somehow, “Strike Weiser!” it’s the film’s supreme moment of catharsis.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Joy Luck Club (1993)
Another great film with female leads and a brilliant cast (including Ming-Na Wen, Rosalind Chao, Tamlyn Tomita and Lauren Tom), The Joy Luck Club centers around a group of Chinese elders who gather to play mahjong and exchange stories. that span generations.
Crying Moment: There are many emotional moments throughout the film, but by far the most harrowing is the story of Suyuan Wu’s escape from the Japanese invasion of China. On the verge of death and at the end of her strength, she is forced to abandon her twin daughters. It’s clear that this moment will haunt Suyang and color her relationship with her other daughter, Jun.
Where to watch: Hulu , digital rental.
Imitation of Life (1959)
Even if the film isn’t flawless in terms of perspective, Imitation of Life is as close to race consciousness as 1950s Hollywood got it, better than the original (1934) version by shifting the focus away from single mother Laura Meredith (here in performed by Lana Turner) and in relation to Annie Johnson (Juanita Moore) and her light-skinned daughter Sarah Jane.
The saddest part: Their relationship completely collapsed over the course of the film, with mother and daughter never truly reconciling until Annie’s untimely death. However, the climactic moment is the funeral: Mahalia Jackson sings “Trouble of the World” and Sarah Jane collapses on her mother’s coffin.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Stella Dallas (1937)
Barbara Stanwyck plays the sassy daughter of a factory worker whose plans to improve her situation continually fail, resulting in a deeply unhappy marriage. In the end, she places all her hope in her daughter Laurel.
A Little Cry: Circumstances lead Stella to believe that her daughter’s only path to happiness is without her troublesome mother. So she pushes Laurel away with cruel comments and then watches her daughter’s wedding through the window, her face a mixture of sadness and joy.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Up (2009)
Contrary to the unfair reputation that cartoons once had as cheesy children’s entertainment, Pixar films’ ability to bring adults to tears is legendary.
Most Weeping: The montage at the beginning of the film depicting Carl Fredricksen’s life with his late wife Ellie, and their inability to ever save enough money for their dream trip, is simply mind-boggling. Gutting . (Later a talking dog appears and helps.)
Where to watch: Disney+ , digital rental.
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Oh hey, Pixar again, here to make us cry over damn computer toys.
Crying Moment: You think it’s the end, but it’s actually the moment when toys, seemingly at the end of their usefulness, resign themselves to death (if living toys can actually “die”) while on a conveyor belt leading to an incinerator factory. Yes, it’s also sad when Andy hands over the toys to Bonnie, saying goodbye to his childhood, but it feels like a slight sting after being hit in the head with a folding chair.
Where to watch: Disney+ , digital rental.
The Fox and the Dog (1981)
Kind widow Tweed adopts the orphaned fox Tod, and her neighbor, hunter Amos Blade, brings home a hound named Copper to become his new hunting dog. They become friends. Then they are gone, and that’s sad.
Crying a little: Oh, lord. We open with a Bambi -esque death scene, followed by heartbreaking abandonment. The emotional core of the film is that Tod and Copper will “always be friends forever.” But fate has other plans.
Where to watch: Disney+ , digital rental.
Old Yeller (1957)
A little boy (Tommy Kirk) has a beautiful, special bond with the titular Labrador Retriever from Texas in the late 1860s.
Crying Moment: Let’s just say Old Yeller isn’t having a good time here. They made this movie for kids if you can believe it.
Where to watch: Disney+ , digital rental.
The Neverending Story (1984)
Ten-year-old Bastian Books is an outcast (in film parlance: reader) who is literally drawn into his new book, gradually drawn into the story of the warrior Atreus, who seeks to save the Child Empress from the “Nothing” in the world of Fantasia.
A Little Cry: Atreyu’s faithful steed, Artax, is defeated in the Swamp of Sorrows. This is a truly powerful emotional moment that represents a low point for both Bastion and Atreyu.
Where to watch: digital rental.
A Star is Born (1954)
Yes, yes, yes, Lady Gaga’s 2018 version is also sad, but this earlier version is a template (we can’t call it the original since it’s the second take of four and not the same general plot). Judy Garland stars alongside James Mason as one half of a Hollywood power couple, except her star is on the rise and his star is on the decline due to substance abuse.
Some Crying : Upon returning to the stage after her husband’s death, Vicky declares herself “Mrs. Norman Maine.” Perhaps a little awkward to modern eyes, but still quite exciting in context. It’s also pretty bittersweet that this was supposed to be Judy Garland’s big comeback but inexplicably died at the box office.
Where to watch: Tubi, digital rental.
The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
In John Green’s adaptation, Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort play two teenagers who meet at a cancer support group before embarking on a whirlwind trip to Amsterdam to meet one of their favorite authors and find out why his latest book isn’t really true. has success. ending.
A bit of a cry: It’s not exactly or overly sentimental, but it is a film about two kids with cancer, one of whom ends up with a terminal diagnosis. Their first kiss takes place in Anne Frank’s house. So, make your choice.
Where to watch: Disney+ , digital rental.
Brief Encounter (1945)
Director David Lean is best known today for his epics: Lawrence of Arabia , A Passage to India , etc. But this early classic of his is an equally impressive work, even if its scale is much smaller. Laura is a respectable middle-class woman in a stable but boring marriage, and Alec is an idealistic doctor, also married with children. They begin to bump into each other whenever Laura goes shopping in a nearby town, and as their relationship and affections develop, each separation becomes more difficult.
A bit of crying: What doesn’t happen breaks your heart as the last meeting between them is interrupted and cut short.
Where to watch: Max , The Criterion Channel, Prime Video
Inside Out (2015)
The Disney/Pixar Train has been around for a long time —at least since Bambi —and Inside Out smartly continues that tradition. Here we dive into the mind of 11-year-old Riley as she processes her feelings about a family move by personifying the emotions with their own personalities.
Crying moment: Bing Bong. Definitely Bing Bong. Oh my god, Bing Bong.
Where to watch: Disney+ , digital rental.
The Iron Giant (1999)
In Cold War Maine, a giant alien robot becomes the object of fear and paranoia from the US military, who see only its potential as a weapon.
Most tearful moment: Is this the moment when the Giant realizes that he can be whatever he wants to be, saying “Superman” while sacrificing himself to save Hogarth and his other friends? Or that moment at the end when it seems like he’s not dead after all? I mean, it’s definitely the first one, but they’re both incredibly emotional.
Where to watch: digital rental.
Titanic (1997)
The incredible popularity of Titanic created a certain cynicism towards the film, and discussion turned to the relative buoyancy of floating doors and the camp appeal of Billy Zane. There’s still a brilliantly constructed old-school Hollywood epic here that isn’t made anymore. In movie theaters in 1997, final scenes were routinely drowned out (excuse the pun) by the sound of sobbing audiences—and time hasn’t completely dulled that power.
Crying a bit: She says she’ll never let go. But she absolutely lets go. But then they meet again on the ship where dreams are born, and they look so young and beautiful, and everyone applauds. (Thank God they skipped the original ending .)
Where to watch: Paramount+ , Prime Video.
Moulin rouge! (2001)
Baz Luhrmann’s incredible jukebox-inspired musical La Bohème , about star-crossed lovers in early 20th-century Paris, never had a completely happy ending.
A bit of crying: once you see the blood on the handkerchief, you know how this ends. I’m not sure that consumption was as elegant a way as the films suggest, but in this case there is so much spectacle and distraction that we almost forgot about the foreshadowing, setting up an end that still manages to come. like a little shock.
Where to watch: Hulu, Apple TV+.
Farewell (2019)
New York Chinese-American writer Billie (Awkwafina) learns from her parents that her grandmother, diagnosed with lung cancer, has only months to live. They decide not to tell her and are concerned that their Americanized daughter will not keep the secret if she goes to China to spend time with Nai Nai in her final days.
Crying Moment: This is not a sentimental film, despite the plot, but the night towards the end of the film when Nai Nai encourages Bill to live on her own terms, had me hooked. There are also tears in the film’s surprisingly upbeat ending. It’s even sadder because it’s all true .
Where to watch: Max , Digital rental
The Laramie Project (2002)
A theater troupe travels to Laramie, Wyoming to meet and interview local residents following the murder of Matthew Shepard. The film, based on the play of the same name, is an interesting hybrid of film, theater and documentary featuring recognizable names.
A bit of a cry: Being the story of the very real Matthew Shepard, this story goes deeper than more obviously fictional narratives, and may be a little over the top if you’re looking for gentle catharsis. Still, there’s no doubt that this is a worthwhile and important watch – the moment when a gay local (played by Bill Irwin) talks about his emotions after the parade in Shepard’s honor hits particularly hard.
Where to watch: Max , Digital rental
Sophie’s Choice (1982)
In William Styron’s novel, we gradually learn the story of Polish immigrant Sophie Zawistowska, a Holocaust survivor who, as the title suggests, is faced with a particularly terrifying choice.
Some Crying : Towards the end we learn that Sophie had to choose between her two children when entering Auschwitz.
Where to watch: Peacock , The Criterion Channel, Tubi, Crackle, Prime Video.
Ordinary People (1980)
A family drama complemented by a truly excellent cast, Ordinary People explores the impact of tragedy on a family led by an increasingly emotionally distant mother (Mary Tyler Moore).
Some Crying: There are a lot of emotional scenes in this drama, but there is a moment during a therapy session where Timothy Hutton’s Conrad expresses his feelings about the sea accident that killed his brother, admitting that he believes he has survived his greatest failure really hit me in the face.
Where to watch: Max , Digital rental
Just Mercy (2019)
Michael B. Jordan plays real-life lawyer and activist Bryan Stevenson, who is here early in his career representing the wrongfully convicted Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx).
The heartbreaking part: We know that the criminal justice system fails black Americans disproportionately, so the happy ending here (which, of course, only comes after McMillian serves a few years on death row) is a brief but joyful moment.
Where to watch: Prime Video
Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)
Quvenzhané Wallis plays Hushpuppy, who builds an elaborate fantasy world around her Louisiana community and her ailing father.
Crying a Little : Faced with menacing bison, Hushpuppy saves the inhabitants of his island in the face of his father’s death, then gives him one hell of a funeral.
Where to watch: digital rental.