Good Sad Movies for People Who Enjoy Crying
The following list is comprised of good sad movies for people who enjoy crying. Believe it or not, there are actually individuals out there who like to break down sobbing courtesy of a good tearjerker. How else do you explain the success of movies based on the works of Nicholas Sparks? If you already feel your eyes welling up with tears at the thought of a doomed romance or tragic disease, then this post is for you.
On a non-tearful note, Netflix carries plenty of sad movies. You can click on our links to visit them, and it’ll net us a small commission. This, in turn, will allow us to keep the doors of OGM open (there’s nothing sad about that).
Terms of Endearment (1983) – Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson and Debra Winger star in this sad film about the complex relationship between Aurora Greenway and her daughter, Emma. Both women live life and search for love…at least until an unexpected illness changes their outlook forever.
Mask (1985) – Suffering from disfiguring cranial enlargement, Rocky Dennis (Eric Stoltz) is a teenager trying to lead a normal life in spite of his illness. His biker mom (Cher) is fiercely devoted to his needs, as are the members of her biker gang (including the always-grizzled Sam Elliott). Laura Dern plays a blind girl moved by Rocky’s kindness and intelligence. You just know this one is gonna end badly.
The Champ (1979) – Billy Flynn (Jon Voight) was once a boxer, but now he trains horses and raises his son, T.J. (Ricky Schroeder). When he decides to once again lace up the gloves for additional money, his estranged wife ((Faye Dunaway) shows up to cause problems.
Beaches (1988) – Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey star as a couple of women who’ve been friends since meeting at the age of 11 under the Atlantic City boardwalk. When tragedy strikes, one races to be with the other as flashbacks detail their friendship. Weepy types will utterly lose it when “Wind Beneath My Wings” begins to play.
Brian’s Song (1971) – A film (originally a TV movie) designed to make guys cry, Brian’s Song tells of the friendship between Hall of Fame running back Gale Sayers (Billie Dee Williams) and his Chicago Bears teammate, Brian Piccolo (James Caan). When Piccolo is diagnosed with cancer, his friend helps him struggle against the disease.
Ordinary People (1980) – After the death of his brother, a young man must come to terms with his emotions. The same goes for his grieving parents. With his performance, Timothy Hutton became the youngest person to ever win the Best Supporting Actor Oscar. Robert Redford made his directorial debut, and the sad movie would go on to capture Best Picture at the next Academy Awards.
Old Yeller (1957) – Dog lovers better have plenty of Kleenex on hand for this sob story about the love between a boy and a Blackmouth Cur named Old Yeller.
Of Mice and Men (1992) – Set during the Great Depression, the film follows two workers: the quick-witted and handy George Milton (Gary Sinise), and the powerful yet mentally slow Lennie Small (John Malkovich). With dreams of buying their own piece of land to settle on, the men get work on a ranch. Unfortunately, Lennie like to pet soft things, and does it really get any softer than Sherilyn Fenn?
Days of Wine and Roses (1962) – Jack Nicholson and Lee Remick play an average American couple who become a couple of drunks. If you’ve ever known an alcoholic, then I don’t have to tell you how sad this movie is going to be.
Titanic (1997) – The ultimate tearjerker for the soccer mom generation, Titanic follows the adventures of young lovers (Kate Winslett and Leonardo DiCaprio) aboard the ill-fated ocean liner. I remember seeing this at the movies, and there was plenty of sniffling going on during the film’s final act.
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If you can’t get enough of these good sad movies for people who enjoy crying, you should dry your eyes and click on the following:
- Vampire Movies List
- Good Biker Movies
- 10 Worst Movies of 2009
- 25 Best Movies to Watch on Mother’s Day
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47 Responses to “Good Sad Movies for People Who Enjoy Crying”
Weepies after the year 2000…..
The Notebook
My Sisters Keeper
A Walk to Remember
Marley and me (sad, but didnt make me cry…)
Hachi
8 Below
Up in the Air
seven pounds
Wall E
#1 Life as a House – A man who has a few months to live, due to cancer, wants to spend the summer building a house with his out of control son. The big moment for me is Kevin Kline telling his ex-wife he is dying……so depressing!
#2 In America – A poor Irish family from Canada, move to the Big Apple. Their 2 adorable little girls own this movie. The hardest scene for me is when the neighbor is dying in the chair and one of the little girls is at his side. Her innocence is amazing.
#3 I Am Sam – A mentally impaired Sean Penn is trying to raise his daughter in a single parent household and the law gets involved. My biggest cry is where Sean Penn’s daughter is being taken away and it’s a really depressing scene to watch.
#4 The Joy Luck Club – This is a story told by 4 mothers and their 4 adult daughters. They are all Asian Americans. Tearjerker material throughout all the flashbacks. The ending has the biggest crown jewel teary-eyed moment.
#5 Braveheart – The best movie that Mel Gibson ever played in. The prize moment is the ending, as the ghost of his lover is walking through the crowd. Two tears up!
#6 Titanic – I cried at many scenes, but the very last scene of the movie had me sobbing. I’m not sure how to interpret the ending though….Did the old woman die in her sleep and go to Titanic heaven?? or Did she simply visit her lover and the crew of Titanic while dreaming?
#7 Pearl Harbor – A love story in the midst of war. When Ben Affleck gets off the plane helping with the casket of Josh Hartnett, I lost all composure and tears poured.
#8 Passion of The Christ – An account of Christ’s cruxifiction by Mel Gibson. I am a christian and I held no anger at this film. I just cried my eyes out for what I witnessed Jesus go through during the ENTIRE film.
#9 Heaven and Earth – Tommy Lee Jones in a Vietnam War/Love story. Witnessing his vietnamese wife go through so much pain and sorrow is very sad. The vietnamese actress was the star of the show.
#10 Artificial Intelligence – A futuristic Earth where man and robot co-exist. Man wants to create a child robot who can love. Very emotional here and there, but the last 10 minutes of the movie, your heart will be ripped to pieces and you might drown in your own tears. Incredibly sad…. and its not the robot Haley Joel Osment who is goin to die!
#11 Bicentennial Man – Robin Williams plays a robot purchased by a rich family. Who would have ever thought the script was going to get sad. If you see this movie, you might lose yourself in tears. You witness 2 main characters die in the first half, and youre taken through 2 final deaths in the last scene and I cried for an hour or so after the credits rolled.
#12 Pleasantville – A story about loss of innocence, set in a black & white television world. Color arrives as innocence and guilt trade places and the world begins to change. I cried when Tobey Maguire says his goodbyes to Reese Witherspoon and Joan Allen. The scene where Tobey puts Joan’s makeup on her face…too sweet.
#13 Forrest Gump – Tom Hanks as a mentally impaired adult going through life. Too many scenes to cry! Sally Field’s death scene and Robin Wright Penn’s death scene, both drew my tears.
#14 Deep Impact – A deadly meteor heads toward the earth. The scene thats really emotional for me is the one where Tea Leoni’s mother is preparing to commit suicide. Also, the goodbyes from the space shuttle crew at the end are quite a bit depressing.
#15 The Color Purple – Steven Spielberg couldnt have told a better story, with such pain and sorrow, but in the end, very rewarding with an overflow of happy tears. I will forever have tears of joy for Whoopi Goldberg reuniting with her children.
#16 What Dreams May Come – Robin Williams plays a doctor who dies and goes to Heaven, but then has to rescue his wife from Hell after she commits suicide because of his death. The purple tree scene will bring out the tears.
#17 Come See the Paradise – Dennis Quaid falls in love with a Japanese American during the time of Pearl Harbor. A touching love story. Classic happy ending. Several scenes will draw out the tears.
#18 My Life – Michael Keaton is dying of cancer and his wife is pregnant. You know this one will get you. When his family surprises him with the backyard circus, this really broke my heart in a good way. The scene when he takes his last breaths of air is literally an emotional rollercoaster.
#19 The Return of the King – Part three of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. Despair, death, love, new beginnings, and happy endings. Peter Jackson knew what he was doing.
#20 The Butterfly Effect – This was a great suspense drama, with its share of depressing moments. The director’s cut ending is only on DVD. If they played it in theaters, the suicide rate would have probably skyrocketed. I played the director’s cut ending over and over because I was in such shock at what Ashton Kutcher does, and I cried my heart out each time.
#21 Monster – I have no sympathy for a prostitute who was a serial killer, but the love story got me. When Charlize Theron says her goodbyes to Christina Ricci at the bus station, I lost it. The court room scene was also too much to bear, nothing but tears.
#22 Signs – This alien movie was more emotional than any I’ve ever seen. The scenes where Mel Gibson thinks about his dead wife are sad. Also when he is telling his children their birth stories right before the aliens are trying to break into the house….gosh how sad to be telling happy stories when you are about to die.
#23 Marvin’s Room – Cancer movies will always provoke my tears. Especially if it’s sweet Diane Keaton who’s dying with the help of Meryl Streep and Leonardo DiCaprio.
#24 Remember the Titans – Denzel Washington did a great job in this highschool football film. Touching moments throughout the movie. The funeral ending sent me over the edge.
#25 Big Fish – Tim Burton’s incredible cinematic journey. The ending gains the most tears as Albert Finney is being taken to the river as he’s dying.
#26 Legends of the Fall – America. Horses. War. Love Story. Father and sons. When Anthony Hopkins has his stroke and is unable to talk, I nearly lost it as Brad Pitt returns home and Anthony writes “I’m Happy” on his message pad for Brad Pitt to read. It’s hard to explain, but a must see event.
#27 About Schmidt – An emotional view of what life is like for many men after retirement. The scene when he sits at his wife’s makeup desk, a few days after she has passed away, and smears her makeup on his face while he’s crying….gosh I just lost it.
#28 Cast Away- Tom Hanks trapped on an island. The saddest scenes are when Wilson disappears and of course near the ending, when Helen Hunt is trying to hold on to their love.
#29 Steel Magnolias – Who could ever top the performance that Sally Fields gave at that funeral. I cried as if Julia Roberts was my own dead daughter!!!……….
#30 The Notebook – You already know what’s gonna happen before it happens. Who did she choose? That’s not the sad part. They save the biggest tears for the end as you will be shocked by the way the director wants you to leave the theater. I cried all the way to my car.
#31 Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood – Ashley Judd is the shining star of this film. Teary eyed scenes here and there.
#32 Under the Tuscan Sun – Diane Lane is a writer that moves to Italy to inspire new material. A couple of teary-eyed scenes. The best is when the workers are finished with the house repairs and Diane Lane has to say goodbye. Shame on the director for making such a tender scene!!!!
#33 Corrina, Corrina – Whoopi Goldberg and Ray Liotta and a very adorable little girl. Gosh, a wonderful film. Best scene is the ending as the little girl sings with her Grandma.
#34 Glory – Denzel Washington and Matthew Broderick in an awesome Civil War story. The scene when Denzel sheds 1 single tear as he is being whipped is classic.
#35 House of Sand and Fog – A woman accidentally gets evicted from her home due to an I.R.S. mistake, and a struggling Iranian family buys it and refuses to give it back. Ben Kingsley had me balling during the incident with his son. I was shocked at the ending and I cried throughout the film. Very depressing situation.
#36 Baby Boom – Great story about a business woman who is appointed as caregiver to her orphaned baby niece. The ending really choked the tears out of me as Diane Keaton walks through the front door and the baby calls her “Mama.”
#37 The Terminal – Tom Hanks plays a russian who gets detained in the New York City International Airport. Its a unique story. I didnt expect it to be a tearjerker, but a couple of scenes really took me by surprise and the tears flowed. The highlight scene is when the janitor was running down the airstrip trying to stop the airplane with his mop in hand!
#38 King of the Hill – I am so upset that this hasnt come out on DVD yet. This was a good story about two little brothers growing up in poverty stricken family that gets torn apart. Depressing situation. This is not related to the cartoon series.
#39 The Land Before Time – The first animated film that had me shedding tears. A story about adolescent dinosaurs trying to migrate to a land of promise. I remember crying when I first saw this in 2nd grade. Friendship and death and just rewards.
#40 Charlotte’s Web – This animated film also needs recognition. A story of a pig that becomes famous due to a female spider named Charlotte. The highlight is Charlotte’s fairwell song as she is dying.
Wow! Thanks for the selections! Everyone be sure to check them out.
Always nice to see someone make their own suggestions instead of just bitching about mine.
My list (Top 14):
The Notebook
The Fox and The Hound
Message In A Bottle
Pay It Forward
The Outsiders
Up Close and Personal
Marley and Me
The Green Mile
Steel Magnolias
Beaches
Mask
Ole Yeller
A Walk to Remember
Oops….Fried Green Tomatoes
No one has mentioned Taking Chance?
CHarlie st cloud
The passion of the christ
bridge to terrabithia
Hachi
private life of pepi lee
love and war
Glory
Last song
A walk to remember
My sisters keeper
Bridge of Terrabithia
Lorenzos oil
Schindlers list
Not without my daughter
Color purple
If only
When a man loves a woman
Rabbit-Proof Fence
Watch Chronicles of Naria Prince Caspian and watch the last scene the song mixed into the dramatic final departure is soo sad
My sisters keeper is a great one
Im a married 24 year old male from brooklyn.It has been my idea to watch sad movies with my wife on the weekends.I can really appreciate a good cry.So thanx for the good list of movies.I havent heard of half the movies you guys are mentioning, but i will do my search for them.thanx.
oh by the way..”The Note Book” is a master piece i never cried as much, ever!
City of Angels with Meg Ryan and Nicolas Cage. I’m one of those people who don’t cry in movies ever – except for this one. It gets me every time, so so sad :(…
Thanks Kopec for all the selections. “House of Sand and Fog” always sticks in my head as a very sad movie.
im someone who really likes the tragidies…check out Lost and Delirious: its about three teenage girls at a boarding school two of which are in love and one shuns the other when the relationship gets out. and the other doesn’t take rejection well.
The Spitfire Grill
the boy in the striped pajamas
“Million Dollar Baby” is another extremely sad one… definitely made me cry!
P.S. I Love you…..makes me cry EVERY time i watch it!
Pearl Harbor
Ghost
A Walk to Remember
Titanic
Tristan& Isolde
What Dreams May Come
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
The Guardian
Armaggeddon
Waste Deep
Selena
American Beauty
Beaches
Crash
The Terminator
Remember the Titans
Jack Frost
The Thorn Birds
Click
Four Brothers
Cruel Intenions
O
The Notebook
Coach Carter
Enjoy =] x
Thanks for the suggestions, Rozie. They’re most appreciated.
My Sisters Keeper far surpasses any film mentioned on here.
One very sad movie that i don’t think anyone has mentioned yet is “Sweet November”
My Sisters Keeper is deff a seriously sad movie….i literally cried the whole time. Other sad movies include…Marley in me, bridge to Terrabithia (I’m glad i’m not the only one who cried during that movie), The last song and i think that’s it for now!
Ladder 49, also a really sad movie
Try watching A Moment to Remember….
It’s so sad,, u’ll definitely be crying….
Gran Torino
Stepmom 1998 Always get me teary
Funny you should mention that, Adam. I literally just got through posting an article entitled “Chris Columbus Movies.” That’s one of the many great films he’s directed over the years.
1-My girl
2-The painted veil
3-Million dollar baby
4-Harry potter-When Sirius and Dumbledore died
5-Lilo and Stitch-When stitch ‘died’ in Stitch has a glitch
6-Raise your voice-Hilary Duffs brother in the show died
7-I am legend
8-I am sam
9-Pursuit of happyness
10-Joseph king of dreams-Cried when his brothers threw him in the well. And cried happy tears at the end
11-Ever after the scene where Drew Barrymore asks her stepmom if she ever loved her and the stepmom goes ‘how can i love a pebblew in my shoe?’ also the start where the father dies
12-The secret life of bee’s. Dakota is really good.
13-John Q
14-Troy-When Achilles gets killed
15-A walk to remember
Thanks for the list, Sarah. As for #14, I actually felt worse when Hector died.
My favourite weepies are:
My Life Without Me
The Elephant Man
Lars and the Real Girl
The Notebook
Hawkes
Patch Adams
Inside I’m Dancing
Once Around
Whose Life is it anyway
Mr. Holland’s Opus
I actually cried a lot when I watched ‘Australia’ (with Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman) for the first time.
Also, Forest Gump is quite a tear jerker in quite a few parts of the movie.
Titanic, The Notebook, Marley and Me, Click, I Am Legend and The Last Song are amazing movie too.
Enjoy. 🙂
Definitely gatta watch My sister’s keeper. at first I didnt wanna watch it but I finally gave in since i have no other movies to watch and whoaaa the start of the movie, i was already in tears. and it continues on and on till the end. It’s really awesome should watch T_T
any other extremely sad movies like recent ones? 2000 + ><
yes..man i agree with your list personally for me the saddedt movie that i have ever seen is “My Life” oh..man it was preety goddamn sad movie..i cried like a baby after watching this movie..it.takes me every time.i’ve watched it..starring michale keaton and nicole kidman..michale keaton plays a gr8 role as a Bob Jones…Bob and Gail(Nicole Kidman) expecting their first child..but soon Bob finds.that he has diogonesed with kidney cancer which will possibly take his life before child is born.so he started videotaping himself..so that his child will know him..how..sad!!! everyone must watch this movie..
Broken Bridges
OMG, starring Tobi Keith, Willie Nelson, etc. CMT movie, touched my heart and brought back the truth, that family matter even when we think they dont. Hold on to those who love us and never hold grudges, life throws us off balance without our seeing it coming, and some surprises scare us for life.
just watched Deep Impact….its soo sad i love those type of movies….the end scene where the families are saying goodby to the heroes. . . .i layed in my bed and sobbed quietly for my sister wouldnt hear me….i havent seen this movie is over 5 years my mom was watching it a month ago and ive searched for it ever since….great sad moviee
Up
“Because I luv you” gets me every time. Not to mention the whole opening sequence.
Sucker Punch has some sad story
Some old rare ones
SUNSHINE (1972) made for TV movie
Love Story
The Ghost and Mrs Muir
The Karen Carpenter Story
and a more recent one
Meet Joe Black
Thanks for sharing, Mike. Reader input is always appreciated.
Hi
I love to watch animal themed movies but here is 8 of the best movies since 2000
1 Letters to God
2 Princess and the frog – Where Ray is Killed by the shadow man
3 Deep Impact – Where Tia Leone and her father stands on the Beach and see the massive wave coming.
4 Flight 94 – where the man and air controller pray together.
5 Jack – Where Jack tells his mother that they made it but knows that he is dieing.
6 Rise of the Guardians – Where Sandie is killed by Pitch.
7 Rise of the Planet of Apes – When the alpha gorrila dies wile saving Ceaser’s live.
8 King Kong 2005 – When Kong and Anne is separaited and in the end when Kong dies.
She
ummm… dont you have any recent movies? After the year 2000…