Life isn’t all happiness, and the world of cinema reflects that duality with surprising tenderness. As a result, tearjerkers are a treasured favorite among cinema fans. For some, only the best movies can elicit powerful emotions to make viewers cry. Whether a film depicts tragic real-life events or the demise of a beloved fictional character, some movies are real heartbreakers.
For a film to shatter the hearts of its audience, it first must grip them with a captivating story. These movies don’t simply portray tales of tragedy; they offer light amongst the darkness by sprinkling in samples of joy, thus creating unforgettable, poignant pictures. There are many sad movies, and then there are those that will leave viewers sobbing.
Updated by Arthur Goyaz on August 8, 2024: Sometimes, a tear-jerking movie ending is all viewers need to let out their own emotions. This list was updated to add more of the saddest movies out there and to reflect CBR’s current formatting standards.
40 True Love is an Unattainable Goal in The Bridges of Madison County
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
7.6 |
90% |
69/100 |

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A true Clint Eastwood masterpiece, The Bridges of Madison County is a devastating look at what could’ve been but never was, following the peaceful domestic life of Francesca Johnson disrupted by the arrival of a charming stranger, Robert Kincaid. In the film, Robert comes to Iowa to investigate and photograph the covered bridges of Madison County, but he and Francesca soon develop a bond stronger than anything they’ve ever felt.
The symbolic importance of bridges in the movie goes beyond Robert’s professional objectives. What is a bridge other than a passage from one side to the other? However, Francesca finds herself unable to move forward, forced to turn back to her starting point. The Bridges of Madison County is a shattering look at the beautiful possibilities we turn our backs to, looking at true love as this all-encompassing, yet unattainable force that moves us.

The Bridges of Madison County
Photographer Robert Kincaid wanders into the life of housewife Francesca Johnson for four days in the 1960s.
- Director
- Clint Eastwood
- Release Date
- June 2, 1995
- Cast
- Clint Eastwood , Meryl Streep , Annie Corley , Victor Slezak , Jim Haynie , Sarah Zahn , Christopher Kroon , Phyllis Lyons
- Runtime
- 135 Minutes
39 Paris, Texas is a Melancholic Redemption Story
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
8.1 |
94% |
81/100 |
Paris, Texas is a road movie at heart, moving from place to place as its main character, Travis, attempts to reconcile the man he once was and the man he wants to become. For four years, he set out to become a complete unknown, a true no one. He abandoned his child and went to West Texas to wander alone in the desert without saying a word. When his brother finally finds him, Travis slowly begins his redemption process.
Paris, Texas is enveloped in a melancholic atmosphere throughout its entire runtime, but it’s the final 20 minutes that will catch even the most cold-hearted viewers off-guard. The cabin boot scene in which Travis finally comes clean about his past is absolutely heartbreaking, and the audience realizes that the stain on the past of such a vulnerable protagonist is darker than they could’ve imagined. Paris, Texas then concludes as a magnificent exercise in empathy and compassion.
38 Mass Addresses the Sad Truth About America’s History of School Shootings
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
7.6 |
95% |
81/100 |
Mass is quite a straightforward sad movie: it’s about four people in a room, talking about an unspeakable tragedy. At one side of the table sits a grieving couple whose son was shot dead in a school shooting. On the other side of the table sits another grieving couple, the parents of the perpetrator, who took his own life after his shootings.
The movie has one of the most devastating scripts ever written, and the ensemble cast conveys all the desperation and misery their characters inevitably unleash on each other. Mass exposes a sad truth about a delicate topic, looking for answers to unresolved familiar matters and words half said. At the end of the day, these people know they can’t bring their sons back, but reaching a conclusion can be vital to preserving the lives of others.

Mass
In a quiet room, away from the world, two couples come together to grapple with the aftermath of a devastating event that linked their families through tragedy. As they share their losses and confront their emotions, they explore the possibilities of forgiveness and the complexities of human connection in the face of sorrow.
- Director
- Fran Kranz
- Release Date
- October 8, 2021
- Cast
- Ann Dowd , Martha Plimpton , Reed Birney , Jason Isaacs
- Runtime
- 111 Minutes
37 The Quiet Girl is Both Soothing and Heartbreaking
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
7.7 |
97% |
89/100 |
In The Quiet Girl, the world unravels from the perspective of Cáit, a shy 9-year-old girl whose dysfunctional family sends her away to live with a couple — distant relatives from the countryside. For the first time, Cáit experiences what it’s like to live in a loving home, but she soon discovers a sad secret about the people who welcomed her.
Viewers may spend the entirety of The Quiet Girl wishing to just hug Cáit and say everything will be okay. Though she barely speaks, her sorrowful eyes express plenty of impactful emotions. As a coming-of-age story, the movie is a delicate account of those childhood moments one barely remembers but were essential to the process of growing up and evolving. As a heavy family drama, The Quiet Girl is both soothing and devastating as it addresses the power of the relationships that move us. By the time the film reaches its final moments, it’s difficult to hold back the tears.
36 Aftersun Follows a Moving Father-and-Daughter Relationship
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
7.6 |
96% |
95/100 |
In Aftersun, a daughter reminisces about a holiday she took with her estranged father twenty years earlier, searching in miniDV footage and her deteriorating memories for the man her father truly was. It’s a movie devoid of appropriate time and space, moving between fabricated recollections and desperate assumptions. Though it appears to take place in a Turkish resort, the film possibly takes place inside the protagonist’s blurred mind.
In a way, Aftersun is about realizing somebody we think we know is someone entirely different. A moving father-and-daughter relationship sets the stage for this heartbreaking conclusion. The film, Charlotte Wells’ debut feature, resonated with so many people because of how realistically it displays memory on film, even the gaps left by oblivion.

Aftersun
Sophie reflects on the shared joy and private melancholy of a holiday she took with her father twenty years earlier. Memories real and imagined fill the gaps between as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn’t…
- Director
- Charlotte Wells
- Release Date
- November 18, 2022
- Cast
- Paul Mescal , Frankie Corio , Celia Rowlson-Hall
- Runtime
- 1 Hour 42 Minutes
35 Love Story Can Make Anyone Ugly Cry
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
6.9 |
63% |
84/100 |

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30 Romance Movies That Will Break Fans’ Hearts
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Erich Segal’s seminal drama Love Story begins beautifully, where moneyed Oliver Barrett IV, a student at Harvard, meets middle-class Jennifer Cavilleri, who is a music student at Radcliffe. Opposites attract, and the two fall in love and marry despite familial opposition, especially from Oliver’s father, to the union.
Sadly, their marital bliss is not meant to be. Jenny is diagnosed with a terminal illness, which Oliver first tries to hide from her. The rest of the movie depicts the devastating events of her discovery, and how the couple try their hardest to make ends meet while also accepting that Jenny’s end is near. It is enough to make even the most stoic viewer weep.
34 Little Women (1994) Is A Heartwrenching Coming Of Age
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
7.3 |
92% |
87/100 |
While Greta Gerwig’s Little Women is the latest, it is the 1994 adaptation of Louisa May Alcott that depicts the true melancholy and anguish that the March sisters live through in mid-19th-century Massachusetts. The Marches have a hard time making ends meet, and when Mr. March falls sick, Jo has to sell her hair to care for him. Beth goes to care for their poor associates, instead contracting scarlet fever herself which only gets worse.
Meg, Jo, and Amy, too, have their personal struggles, but the entire family is shaken when Claire Danes’ Beth (who gave a rather emotional monologue) dies from her disease. While there are happy endings for some, the story of the March sisters is one of grief and turmoil, which they navigate expertly.
33 Marley & Me Jumps From Hilarity To Heartbreak
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
7.0 |
63% |
53/100 |
John and Jenny Grogan’s memoir about their feisty dog came to life in Marley & Me, starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston. Marley is a chaotic, mischievous, and sometimes downright outrageous puppy, whose hilarious antics keep viewers entertained. Sadly, Marley’s twilight years form a large part of the movie, and his slow demise is a sorrowful prospect.
Marley’s mind is as young as ever, but the sweet dog’s body reaches its limit with repeated intestinal attacks. Seeing how deeply Marley touched the lives of his family, it is a tearful experience watching him leave the people who love him unconditionally.

32 A Star Is Born Paints A Gloomy Picture of Addiction and Mental Illness
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
7.6 |
90% |
88/100 |
A story that has been adapted earlier, A Star Is Born is a poignant tale of love, addiction, and heartbreak that draws viewers in over and over. Jackson and Ally’s encounter is a gorgeous blend of music and attraction, but Jackson transforms Ally’s life by giving her a breakthrough in the music industry, but the love between them takes precedence.
While their love is strong, mental issues loom over the couple like a dark cloud. As Ally grows increasingly successful, Jackson grows withdrawn. He indulges in drugs and alcohol, ultimately dying by suicide in an attempt to find peace and give Ally a better life. Every aspect of their tragic love story is compelling but agonizing.
31 Disaster Strikes Jack and Rose’s Love in Titanic
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
7.9 |
88% |
75/100 |
Titanic is one of the most well-known movies of all time, but the James Cameron blockbuster was dark in more ways than one. At face value, the movie depicts the tragic sinking of the “unsinkable” ship where thousands of lives were lost, but the class and economic disparities even in life and death made it all the more despondent.
Additionally, Cameron intertwined the fictional romance between upper-class Rose Bukater and working-class Jack Dawson into the plot of the tragedy, which made the movie a certified tear-jerker. It was clear that these two belonged together, but even after overcoming social hurdles, their love was just never meant to be. Emotional goodbyes and heartrending moments (like the violinist playing to their deaths) make Titanic one of the saddest movies of all time.
30 Lion Is As Bittersweet As It Is Uplifting
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
8.0 |
84% |
69/100 |
1:50

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Lion, the tale of a young man searching for his long-lost biological family in India, makes for an undoubtedly sad movie. Yet, Lion is also an uplifting picture filled with bittersweet, true-to-life moments. Rich cinematography and wonderfully realized characters ensure Garth Davis’ Lion never feels too heavy despite its subject matter.
Lion’s investment in developing its main characters led to its award-season success. On its way to being one of the highest-grossing Australian films of all time, Lion earned six Academy Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor and Actress for Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman, respectively. Patel also won a BAFTA for his performance in Lion.

Lion
A five-year-old Indian boy is adopted by an Australian couple after getting lost hundreds of kilometers from home. 25 years later, he sets out to find his lost family.
- Release Date
- January 6, 2017
- Director
- Garth Davis
- Cast
- Dev Patel , Rooney Mara , Nicole Kidman , Sunny Pawar
- Runtime
- 1 hour 58 minutes
- Main Genre
- Biography
29 Grave Of The Fireflies Is One Of The Saddest Anime Movies In History
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
8.5 |
100% |
94/100 |
Grave of the Fireflies is perhaps the most tragic animated movie ever made. The film follows two Japanese siblings who desperately attempt to survive World War II. It’s as heartbreaking as fans might imagine, but Isao Takahata’s Grave of the Fireflies, thankfully, comes with a few helpings of beautiful, joyous moments.
Because of its primary content, Grave of the Fireflies may be too sorrowful for some viewers to sit through. Still, the 1988 film serves as a necessary reminder of how brutal and unforgiving war can be, especially for those not fighting but still caught up in its periphery. Despite its upsetting themes, Grave of the Fireflies is a must-watch.

Grave of the Fireflies
A young boy and his little sister struggle to survive in Japan during World War II.
- Release Date
- July 26, 1989
- Director
- Isao Takahata
- Cast
- Tsutomu Tatsumi , Ayano Shiraishi , Akemi Yamaguchi
- Runtime
- 89 minutes
- Studio
- Studio Ghibli
28 Life Is Beautiful Showcases The Holocaust Through A Unique Lens
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
8.6 |
81% |
58/100 |
Viewers can reasonably expect any movie focused on the Holocaust to be exceptionally upsetting. Life is Beautiful, from Italian auteur Roberto Benigni, however, takes an entirely different approach to the dark subject. One of the major reasons Life is Beautiful is so tragic is that the first half of the film is packed full of lighthearted hilarity.
Life is Beautiful pulls hard on the heartstrings by forcing viewers to watch the main characters do all they can to retain their love and humanity in the face of pure evil. Ultimately, Life is Beautiful is by no means an easy watch, but it is an immensely rewarding one.

Life Is Beautiful
When an open-minded Jewish man and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp.
- Release Date
- December 20, 1997
- Director
- Roberto Benigni
- Cast
- Roberto Benigni , Giorgio Cantarini , Nicoletta Braschi
- Runtime
- 1 hour 56 minutes
27 The Pursuit Of Happyness Addresses Numerous Heavy Themes
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
8.0 |
67% |
64/100 |
The Pursuit of Happyness was a return to the dramatic for Will Smith and a powerful introduction for his son, Jaden Smith. Even from his early days as an actor on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Will Smith’s charisma and comedic timing were never in doubt. While he had some remarkable dramatic turns on The Fresh Prince, these were only a glimpse of how great he could be in an emotional drama.
The Pursuit of Happyness is a career highlight for the iconic star, cementing him as a top leading man who can carry a significant studio drama. Despite its title, moments within the film rival any heartbreaking film regarding on-screen sadness. By addressing such heavy themes as financial inequity, homelessness, and love, and through a tremendous Oscar-nominated performance from Smith, Pursuit of Happyness pulls on the heartstrings throughout its runtime.
26 Up Doesn’t Get Sadder After Its Heartbreaking Opening Sequence
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
8.3 |
98% |
88/100 |
Movie openings simply do not get more upsetting than the beginning minutes of Pixar’s Up. Sobbing is a common side effect of watching the love story of Carl and Ellie unfold and eventually come to an untimely end. It’s a masterclass in storytelling, showing the viewer the breadth of two entire lives condensed into a 10-minute montage.
The rest of Up — thankfully for audiences — isn’t as sad as this iconic introduction. Up features tremendous animation and seemingly puts all its efforts into repairing the hearts it broke with its opening sequence, except for the ending, which may require more tissues. Up is an incredible animated adventure worth wiping the tears away for.
25 Bicentennial Man Explores What It Means To Be Human
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
6.9 |
37% |
42/100 |
Bicentennial Man has all the feel-good fun that fans would expect from pairing star Robin Williams with director Chris Columbus, especially after Williams and Columbus combined for the legendary comedy Mrs. Doubtfire six years earlier.
Bicentennial Man, though, is far from the world of Mrs. Doubtfire. This movie – about an android question to become human – is a touching tale that explores mortality, love, slavery, and what it truly means to be human. Because of this topic, the sci-fi dramedy was already quite heartbreaking upon its release but is even more upsetting today in the wake of Robin Williams’ tragic death in 2014.

Bicentennial Man
An android endeavors to become human as he gradually acquires emotions.
- Release Date
- December 17, 1999
- Director
- Chris Columbus
- Cast
- Robin Williams , Embeth Davidtz , Sam Neill
- Runtime
- 2 Hours 12 Minutes
24 The Green Mile Is An Extremely Heartbreaking Flick
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
8.6 |
79% |
61/100 |

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The Green Mile is only one of a long list of tearjerkers in star Tom Hanks’ filmography. From Forrest Gump to Philadelphia, the legendary leading man has caused his fair share of sadness throughout his career. Those looking for the saddest moment in a Hanks movie must check out Frank Darabont’s The Green Mile.
The Green Mile is a drama based on the eponymous Stephen King novel. Alongside Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan is sensational as a wrongfully convicted death row prisoner – John Coffey. This profound picture becomes one of cinema’s most heartbreaking flicks when Coffey’s time is finally up.
23 The Squid And The Whale Highlights The Trials Of Divorce
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
7.3 |
92% |
82/100 |
The Squid and the Whale is Noah Baumbach’s fourth feature film, but it marked the longest he has taken between movies, debuting five years after 1997’s Highball. Much like recent Baumbach pictures like Marriage Story, The Squid and the Whale is uniquely upsetting in its specificity and realism. The Squid and The Whale, like Marriage Story, is a revealing mediation on the nuclear family unit after the protagonists experience a familial schism in the form of divorce.
Parents fall out of love all the time, with children often bearing the brunt of their separation, but The Squid and The Whale also highlights some potential silver linings. Taking place in 1980s Brooklyn, the movie delves into the negative – and some positive – impacts of divorce through the eyes of the family’s two children, both of whom react to the news in drastically different ways.
22 Y Tu Mamá También Plays With The Viewers’ Hearts
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
7.7 |
91% |
89/100 |
Y Tu Mamá También is simultaneously one of the saddest and most joyful movies ever made. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, the film chronicles a rapidly evolving (or devolving) friendship between two young boys. These two characters, played by Diego Luna and Gael García Bernal, have an almost unbreakable bond that the film tests throughout its runtime.
This relationship, which often transcends even their rigid heterosexuality, is the heart of Y Tu Mamá También. Unfortunately for the two, a transition in their lives leads to their friendship suffering irreparable damage, and they never recover their lost connection. Y Tu Mamá También keeps viewers on their toes while also playing with their hearts.
21 Sophie’s Choice Is The Ultimate Nightmare For Any Parent
IMDb |
Tomatometer |
Metacritic |
---|---|---|
7.5 |
76% |
68/100 |

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While Sophie’s Choice is one of the most iconic Holocaust movies ever, it’s one of the rare films about the subject that takes place outside the bounds of a Nazi concentration camp. Instead, this Meryl Streep-starring vehicle portrays the traumatic events many experienced during something as horrific as the Holocaust, particularly survivors forced to make terrible decisions at gunpoint.
Sophie’s Choice is the ultimate nightmare for any parent. Without revealing too much, the decision the titular Zofia Zawtisoski had to make during WWII isn’t one anyone could, or should have to, make. This ultimatum alone is enough to leave audiences reaching for a Kleenex.

Sophie’s Choice
Sophie is the survivor of Nazi concentration camps, who has found a reason to live with Nathan, a sparkling if unsteady American Jew obsessed with the Holocaust.
- Release Date
- March 4, 1983
- Director
- Alan J. Pakula
- Cast
- Meryl Streep , Kevin Kline , Peter MacNicol , Rita Karin , Stephen D. Newman , Greta Turken , Josh Mostel , Marcell Rosenblatt
- Runtime
- 150 Minutes