The Best Sad Movies to Watch If You’re In the Mood for a Good Cry

The Best Sad Movies to Watch If You’re In the Mood for a Good Cry

Sometimes, watching sad movies that make you cry is just what the doctor ordered. This is because they provide a cathartic release. The best sad movies evoke strong emotions and provide psychological relief, either by purging emotions or combating unresolved issues.

Regardless of the reason for seeking out this emotional journey, there is a wide array of heartbreaking stories that will get the job done if you’re in the mood for a good cry.

When it is time to cuddle up with your favorite blanket, these are the best sad movies that make you cry.

The Notebook is one of the best sad movies to watch for a good cry.The Notebook is one of the best sad movies to watch for a good cry.
(New Line Cinema/Prime Video Screenshot)

The Notebook

Hailed as one of the best sad movies, The Notebook stars infamous actors Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, who had a standout performance in the second season of True Detective, along with numerous blockbuster movies.

It is based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, and if there is one author whose books are made for sad movies that make you cry, it is him.

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The film tells the story of Allison Hamilton (McAdams) and Noah Calhoun (Gosling) as young adults who fall in love in the ’40s. In the present day, an old man reads their story from a notebook to a nursing home resident.

It has won numerous awards, including the MTV Movie Award for Best Kiss, and Gena Rowlands won Best Supporting Actress – Drama at the 9th Golden Satellite Awards, along with eight different awards at the 2005 Teen Choice Awards.

Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling in The Notebook, one of the best sad movies to watch.Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling in The Notebook, one of the best sad movies to watch.
(New Line Cinema/Prime Video Screenshot)

The Green Mile

The Green Mile is based on the Stephen King novel of the same name and was released in 1999. It stars Tom Hanks and Michael Clarke Duncan (The Finder), with David Morse, Bonnie Hunt, Sam Rockwell, and James Cromwell in supporting roles.

Hanks plays a death row prison guard during the Great Depression who witnesses supernatural events when the mysterious convict and new arrival, played by Duncan, arrives.

It was nominated for Best Pictures, Best Supporting Actor for Duncan, Best Sound, and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Academy Awards.

It is one of the most enthralling and powerful sad movies that make you cry with the way it eases into its heart-wrenching ending.

Michael Clarke Duncan as John Coffey in one the saddest movies, The Green Mile.Michael Clarke Duncan as John Coffey in one the saddest movies, The Green Mile.
(Castle Rock Entertainment/Youtube Screenshot)

Million Dollar Baby

Clint Eastwood produced and stars in one of the best sad movies that make you cry. Alongside Eastwood in Million Dollar Baby is Hilary Swank as Maggie Fitzgerald, known for the ABC series Alaska Daily, and Morgan Freeman as Eddie “Scrap Iron” Dupris.

It is based on stories from “Rope Burns: Stories from the Corner” by fight manager and cutman Jerry Boyd.

The sports drama tells the story of Maggie Fitzgerald, a rookie boxer, and her journey to become a professional fighter. Her training starts at a rundown gym operated by Frankie Dunn (Eastwood), who becomes her coach.

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That doesn’t come without effort, though, as he first shuts her down because he does not want to train a woman and thinks she is too old. However, Scrap, one of Frankie’s friends and employees, helps Maggie at that moment and throughout the movie.

There are significant feelings of loss and disappointment in this movie that will leave you frustrated and very upset.

The movie earned seven nominations at the 77th Academy Awards and won Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (Swank), and Best Supporting Actor (Freeman). It is hailed as one of the best films of the 2000s and of all time.

Hillary Swank as Maggie Fitzgerald in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby.Hillary Swank as Maggie Fitzgerald in Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby.
(Warner Bros./Prime Video Screenshot)

Moonlight

The coming-of-age film Moonlight is based on Tarell Alvin McCraney’s unpublished semi-autobiographical play “In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue.”

It stars Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Moná, Ashton Sanders, Jharrel Jerome, Naomie Harris, and Mahershala Ali, known for his role in House of Cards.

It is set in three parts and tells the story of Chiron’s (Ashton Sanders) life. The first, Little, is set in Miami at the height of the crack epidemic, where Chiron meets Juan (Mahershala Ali) while hiding from bullies in a crackhouse. At this point, Chiron is a shy kid who goes by the nickname “Little.”

The second part, Chiron, focuses on him as a teenager, trying to avoid being bullied by Terrel and hanging out with Teresa. The third part, Black, picks up a decade later as Chiron is an adult nicknamed “Black” and lives in Atlanta.

The film premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in 2016 and received critical acclaim. It was praised for its editing, cinematography, score, Jenkin’s direction and screenplay, and its handling of themes of sexuality and masculinity. Harris and Ali were especially praised for their performances.

Mahershala Ali as Juan in one of the best sad movies Moonlight.Mahershala Ali as Juan in one of the best sad movies Moonlight.
(A24/Prime Video Screenshot)

It is one of the best films of the 21st century and was nominated for eight Academy Awards, winning Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Ali), and Best Adapted Screenplay (Jenkins and McCraney).

At its release, it was second to The Hurt Locker for being the lowest-grossing domestic film to win the Oscar for Best Picture. Joi McMillon was nominated for an editing Oscar, and Ali won an acting Oscar.

Bridge to Terabithia

Since its release in 2007, Bridge to Terabithia has been known as one of the best sad movies. The fantasy film is based on the novel by Katherine Paterson, with whom it shares a name. It stars Josh Hutcherson, AnnaSophia Robb (known for The Carrie Diaries), Bailee Madison, Zooey Deschanel, and Robert Patrick.

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As kids, Jesse Aarons (Hutcherson) and Leslie Burke (Robb) use the made-up world of Terabithia to hang out together and escape from their stressful and complicated lives.

Jesse’s family struggles with financial issues, and he is bullied at school. In class, he meets a new student, Leslie Burke, and the two hit it off.

After adventuring into the woods, they find a rope swing that leads them to a treehouse, where they invent this new world. The adventure, hope, and bond in the movie bring a nostalgia that turns into a hard lesson in grief.

AnnaSophia Robb in Bridge to Terabithia which is one of the best sad movies that make you cry.AnnaSophia Robb in Bridge to Terabithia which is one of the best sad movies that make you cry.
(The Walt Disney Company/Prime Video Screenshot)

The film’s visuals, performances, and how closely it follows the original novel are standout marks that won it all five awards it was nominated for at the 29th Young Artist Awards.

Among the winners were Best Performance in a Feature Film – Young Ensemble Cast, Family Feature Film, Leading Young Actor (Hutcherson), Leading Young Actress (Robb), and Young Actress Ten and Under (Bailee Madison).

Stepmom

The 1998 film stars Julia Roberts as Isabel Kelly, Susan Sarandon (Dottie Cantrell Roman in Monarch) as Jackie Harrison, and Ed Harris as Luke Harrison.

Divorced couple Jackie and Luke struggle to co-parent their children Anna (Jena Malone) and Ben (Liam Aiken). Luke also lives with his much younger girlfriend, Isabel, who is a point of contention.

Anna rejects Isabel, Ben likes her but also likes to stir the pot, Jackie thinks she is immature and selfish and resents Luke for Isabel’s parenting style, and Isabel thinks Jackie overcompensated for the divorce by spoiling the kids. Despite all of that, Luke proposes to Isabel, making her officially the kids’ stepmother.

The movie has emotional plot twists, heartfelt moments, and life lessons that make it one of the best sad movies that make you cry. It earned Sarandon a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and won the San Diego Film Critics Society Award for Best Actress.

Stepmom is one of the best sad movies that make you cry.Stepmom is one of the best sad movies that make you cry.
(Sony Pictures Releasing/Youtube Screenshot)

Hachi: A Dogs Tale

The 2009 movie is a remake of the 1987 Japanese film Hachikō Monogatari, which is based on the true story of an Akita dog named Hachikō and puts it in a modern American context.

It stars Richard Gere, who also served as the producer, along with Joan Allen, known for The Family, Sarah Roemer, Jason Alexander, known for Seinfeld, and Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa.

It starts with Ronnie (Kevin DeCoste) telling his class his hero is his grandfather Parker Wilson’s (Gere) dog, Hachi. Ronnie then narrates the story of his grandfather, who temporarily takes home a lost dog he finds at a railway station. The two form a bond, but he finds the dog difficult to train.

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Parker’s Japanese friend, Ken, explains that Akitas are notoriously untrainable, and if they were to do things like fetch a ball, it would be for a special reason. The film is magnificent and sorrowful for animal lovers, and if you have a dog, it will resonate deeply with you.

Sony decided not to release it in theaters in the U.S., even though it was in theaters in over 60 countries. Instead, it was released in the U.S. on DVD and eventually sold to the Hallmark Channel.

Hiaci: A Dog's Tale is one of the best sad movies if you are an animal lover.Hiaci: A Dog's Tale is one of the best sad movies if you are an animal lover.
(Hallmark/Prime Video Screenshot)

American Sniper

American Sniper is a biographical war film directed and co-produced by Clint Eastwood. It is based on the memoir American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History written by Chris Kyle with Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice.

It stars Bradley Cooper as Kyle and Sienna Miller as his wife, Taya. Luke Grimes (Yellowstone), Jake McDorman, Cory Hardict, Kevin Lacz, Navid Negahban, and Keir O’Donnell are in supporting roles.

It tells the real-life story of Chris Kyle, hailed as the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history. During his four tours in the Iraq War, he had 225 kills, with 160 officially confirmed by the Department of Defense.

Although he is considered a hero, the bloodshed and time spent in the military took a huge toll on his personal and family life.

The story is a bit controversial, depending on who you ask. Still, it’s moving because it tells the story of a real person we see emotionally hurt before even becoming a U.S. Navy SEAL. What happens in Iraq is emotionally taxing, and the ending is the hardest pill to swallow.

Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in Clint Eastwood's American Sniper.Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle in Clint Eastwood's American Sniper.
(Warner Bros./Prime Video Screenshot)

The film received six nominations at the 87th Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor for Cooper, winning Best Sound Editing.

Where the Red Fern Grows

Where the Red Fern Grows is a 1974 movie based on Wilson Rawls’s novel of the same name. It stars James Whitmore, Beverly Garland, known for the CBS show My Three Sons, Stewart Petersen, and Jack Ging.

It is centered around Billy Coleman (Petersen), who loves coon dogs and coon hunting. However, his family does not have the financial means it takes to have good coon dogs, so he starts working multiple jobs and saves up enough money to buy the dogs, and immediately starts training them.

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For pet lovers, this is one of the saddest movies, and crying is part of the experience. The book traumatized the kids required to read it in school, but don’t let that be a deterrent. It is a sentimental classic full of life lessons.

Where the Red Fern Grows is one of the best sad movies.Where the Red Fern Grows is one of the best sad movies.
(Crown International Pictures/Prime Video Screenshot)

Disney also remade it in 2003, and it stars Joseph Ashton, Renee Faia, Ned Beatty, Dabney Coleman, and famous musicians Dave Matthews, Mac Davis, and Kris Kristofferson.

Forrest Gump

Forrest Gump is an emotional rollercoaster based on Winston Groom’s novel of the same name. It stars Tom Hanks, Robin Wright (House of Cards), Gary Sinise (CSI: NY), Mykelti Williamson, and Sally Field.

The movie features Forrest Gump (Hanks) retelling his life story 30 years earlier when he was fitted for leg braces to correct a curved spine and had trouble walking.

He is bullied for this disability and low intelligence, but he discovers he is a great runner, which opens many doors in his life. He lives with his mom and meets Jenny Curran (Wright) at school, with whom he comes close.

It harmoniously blends comedy and heartache and lives in fans’ hearts. It won six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (Hanks), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Visual Effects, and Best Film Editing.

Forrest Gump also received nominations for Golden Globes, British Academy Film Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Tom Hanks stars as Forrest Gump in one of the best sad movies.Tom Hanks stars as Forrest Gump in one of the best sad movies.
(Paramount Pictures/Prime Video Screenshot)

Rudy

Rudy is a biographical sports film about Daniel “Rudy” Ruettiger, whose life goal was to play football at the University of Notre Dame.

One of the most famous scenes was filmed during halftime of an actual Notre Dame game against Boston College in 1992. It is one of the few movies the administration allowed to be shot on campus.

It follows Rudy, played by Sean Astin, known for his role as Bob Newby in Stranger Things, in high school and his woes in attaining his dreams of playing Notre Dame football.

His grades, talent, and physique are not up to par with the university’s, and he doesn’t have the money. Despite all that and a tragedy in his personal life, he still decides to follow his dream.

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The movie’s powerful and effective depiction of the human spirit makes it known as a movie that “gets a grown man to cry” and lands it on the list of the best sad movies.

In 2005, ESPN named it one of the 25 best sports movies of the previous 25 years, and the American Film Institute ranked it the 54th most inspiring film of all time in their “100 Years” series.

Sean Astin stars in Rudy, one of the best sad movies that make you cry.Sean Astin stars in Rudy, one of the best sad movies that make you cry.
(TriStar Pictures/Prime Video Screenshot)

Old Yeller

The 1957 western stars Dorothy McGuire, Fess Parker, Tommy Kirk, and Kevin Corcoran. It is set in post-civil war Texas and is based on Fred Gipson’s 1956 novel of the same name.

When Jim Coates (Fess Parker) leaves his family to sell cattle in Kansas, his son Travis (Tommy Kirk) finds a stray Black Mouth Cur while working in the cornfield, and he names it Old Yeller. Kirk was a well-known Disney actor and an OG of The Hardy Boys series.

This classic movie will pull at your heartstrings with the love and loss surrounding the family and Old Yeller. The emotion of this movie is similar to the sadness that comes from Bambi.

It was the fifth highest-grossing film of 1957, and its success led to a sequel, Savage Sam, based on another Gipson novel.

In 2019, the Library of Congress also selected it for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”

Old Yeller is one of the best sad movies that make you cry.Old Yeller is one of the best sad movies that make you cry.
(Walt Disney Pictures/Prime Video Screenshot)

Remember the Titans

This biographical sports drama is loosely based on the true story of coach Herman Boone and his effort to integrate T.C. Williams High School’s football team in 1971.

It stars Denzel Washington as Boone, Will Patton (Outer Range) as coach Bill Yoast, and Ryan Hurst (Sons of Anarchy) and Wood Harris (The Wire) play real-life athletes Gerry Bertier and Julius Campbell.

It follows the story of Alexandria, Virginia’s newly integrated high school, where head coach Yoast has just been told that has been hired Boone to his staff.

However, in the district’s attempt to placate rising racial tension and the fact that, despite the abolition of racial segregation in public schools, all other high schools in Alexandria are “white only,” they make Boone the head coach.

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Although he is initially hesitant to take the position, Boone sees what it means to the black community and accepts it with Yoast as his defensive coordinator. The movie is full of painful and sad moments, but it is touching and emotional and addresses serious topics.

It won awards at the 2001 NAACP Image Awards and BET Awards 2001. It also has a stellar soundtrack featuring artists including Bob Dylan, Marvin Gaye, James Taylor, The Temptations, The Hollies, Creedence Clearwater Revival, and Cat Stevens.

Denzel Washington as Herman Boone in Remember the Titans.Denzel Washington as Herman Boone in Remember the Titans.
(Walt Disney Pictures/Prime Video Screenshot)

Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey

This 1993 heartfelt adventurous movie is a remake of The Incredible Journey, which was based on Sheila Burnford’s novel of the same name.

It stars Robert Hays, Kim Greist, Veronica Lauren, Kevin Chevalia, Benj Thall, and the voices of Don Ameche, Sally Field, and Michael J. Fox, who is known for The Good Wife and The Micheal J. Fox Show.

The movie tells the story of the Seaver family, who have three kids, each with their own pet: an uninhibited pit bull named Chance (Fox), a wise golden retriever named Shadow (Ameche), and a spoiled Himalayan cat named Sassy (Field).

The Seavers have to temporarily move because of the father’s job, and they decide to leave their pets with one of the mom’s friends, Kate.

When Kate goes on a cattle drive, she has her neighbor look after the pets. However, he does not receive the full message and thinks she has taken the pets, leaving them alone.

This leads them to think they have been abandoned, but Shadow refuses to believe his owner would ever do that to him, so he decides to make his way home. Chance and Sassy follow because they do not want to be left alone.

This is where their inspirational journey begins, full of tense and sad moments with some comic relief. It is one of the best sad movies that make you cry, especially if you are a pet owner.

The hopeful yet painful movie was the last film released during Ameche’s lifetime and is dedicated to producer Franklin R. Lecy, who died during production, and Ben Ami Agmon.

Peter hugging Shadow goodbye in Homeward Bound.Peter hugging Shadow goodbye in Homeward Bound.
(Walt Disney Pictures/Prime Video Screenshot)

The Man in the Moon

The Man in the Moon is a coming-of-age film and Reese Witherspoon’s debut film, known for so many brilliant works, including Big Little Lies and The Morning Show. Along with Witherspoon, it stars Sam Waterston, Tess Harper, Emily Warfield, and Jason London.

Witherspoon plays a 14-year-old tomboy in Louisiana who enjoys skinny dipping in the neighbor’s creek.

One day, she finds a new neighbor, 17-year-old Court, swimming in the creek and instantly dislikes him. After being forced to go to the grocery store together, Dani begins to crush on him, and the two become close.

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The film is full of heartache and highly realistic, making it a film that will resonate and evoke plenty of tears. It sets the mood perfectly in every aspect, and young Witherspoon’s performance is flawless.

The movie was praised upon its release and made Roger Ebert’s list of the Top 10 Films of 1991.

Young Reese Witherspoon as Dani Trant in Man in the Moon.Young Reese Witherspoon as Dani Trant in Man in the Moon.
(MGM/Prime Video Screenshot)

Grave of the Fireflies

Grave of the Fireflies is a Japanese animated war film based on Akiyuki Nosaka’s semi-autobiographical short story of the same name. It is set in Kobe, Japan, and stars Tsutomu Tatsumi, Ayano Shiraishi, Yoshiko Shinohara, and Akemi Yamaguchi.

It tells the tale of Seita (Tatsumi) and Setsuko (Shiraishi), siblings orphaned during the Pacific War who are children of an Imperial Japanese Navy captain, and their fight to survive the final months of the war. When American bombers destroy most of Kobe, Seita and Setsuko survive, but their mother unfortunately dies.

This forces them to live with their aunt, who is selfish with her supplies and verbally abusive to the siblings. They eventually leave and live in an abandoned bomb shelter where they catch fireflies in the marshes and release them in the refuge for light.

It has been hailed as one of the best sad movies ever made. It depicts the aftermath of war, which is a depressing realization, but be that as it may, it is powerful and moving. It is considered one of the best war films of all time and is a notable work of Japanese animation.

Seita and Setsuko are sisters in the animated movie Grave of the Fireflies.Seita and Setsuko are sisters in the animated movie Grave of the Fireflies.
(Toho Co., Ltd/Youtube Screenshot)

The Art of Racing in the Rain

The Art of Racing in the Rain is a movie based on Garth Stein’s novel of the same name.

It stars Milo Ventimiglia, Amanda Seyfried (Big Love), and Kevin Costner (Yellowstone) as the voice of Enzo, who is played by the dog Parker. It tells the story of Denny Swift (Ventimiglia), a Formula One race car driver who loves his career, wife (Seyfried), daughter, and dog, which he found as a puppy after a race.

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The two immediately form a tight bond, and he names the dog after Enzo Ferrari. In the movie, Denny goes through many hardships throughout his life, including the fact that his job is dangerous and keeps him away from home for long periods of time.

Both are difficult to accept since he is now a father and husband.

It is a tearjerker full of sadness, regret, frustration, and hard lessons learned. However, it is a beautiful story made to evoke a good cry.

Milo Ventimiglia as Denny in The Art of Racing in the Rain.Milo Ventimiglia as Denny in The Art of Racing in the Rain.
(20th Century Pictures/Prime Video Screenshot)

Man on Fire

Man on Fire is an action thriller based on the novel of the same name by A.J. Quinnell. it stars Denzel Washington as John Creasy, former CIA operative and alcoholic turned bodyguard, and Dakota Fanning (Taken).

Christopher Walken (Severance), Radha Mitchell, Giancarlo Giannini, Marc Anthony, Rachel Ticotin, and Mickey Rourke make up the supporting cast.

When John Creasy visits a friend in Mexico, he is asked to take a bodyguard position for Samuel Ramos’s daughter, Lupita “Pita,” because her kidnapping insurance policy won’t take effect without one.

The two connect, and his commitment to her protection and reducing his drinking is inspirational as he also helps Pita become a better swimmer.

One afternoon, Pita is abducted, and Creasy’s revenge warpath for finding the abductors starts in full force.

During this rampage, there are sad and moving moments meant to leave viewers teary-eyed but are also meant to teach viewers not only the violence surrounding situations like these but also the harsh reality that comes with jobs like being a CIA operative.

In 2005, Washington was nominated for Best Actor at the NCAAP Image Awards, and the movie was nominated for Best Outstanding Feature Film. Dakota Fanning was nominated for Best Young Actress at the Critics Choice Movie Awards and the Young Artist Awards.

Dakota Fanning as Pita Ramos in one of the best sad movies Man on Fire.Dakota Fanning as Pita Ramos in one of the best sad movies Man on Fire.
(20th Century Studios/Prime Video Screenshot)

A Walk to Remember

This coming-of-age romantic film is another heartbreaker based on Nicholas Sparks’ novel of the same name.

It stars Shane West (Salem), Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote, and Daryl Hannah. Similar to the book, the movie is dedicated to Sparks’s sister, whose life inspired the story. It also borrowed many sets from Dawson’s Creek.

One day, Landon Carter (West) and his friends are caught drinking on school grounds and, while pulling a prank, seriously hurt another student. As a result, they have to help the janitor staff, tutor disadvantaged students at their sister school, and participate in the school play.

This is how Landon notices good girl and minister’s daughter Jamie Sullivan (Moore).

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As the two practice their lines and their chemistry is clear, Jamie tells Landon not to fall in love with her. As the movie goes on, the reason behind this warning and Landon’s failure to control his feelings make for one of the best sad movies that make you cry.

The film was made for anyone looking for a heartwrenching film about love and loss and cherishing the moment, and anything Nicholas Sparks writes is sure to be a sentimental gut punch.

In 2002, Moore won Best Breakthrough Female Performance at the MTV Movie Awards and the Teen Choice Awards, and the duo won Choice Movie Chemistry at the latter.

Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore) and Landon Carter (Shane West) from A Walk to Remember.Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore) and Landon Carter (Shane West) from A Walk to Remember.
(Warner Bros./Netflix Screenshot)

Up

Up is an animated film directed by Pete Doctor and co-directed by Bob Peterson. Peterson wrote the screenplay and story along with Tom McCarthy, who co-wrote the story. The film stars the voices of Ed Asner (Dead to Me), Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagai, and Bob Peterson.

Carl Fredricksen (Asner) is a 78-year-old cranky balloon salesperson and widower who ties thousands of balloons to his house to fulfill his adventurous dream of going to the wilderness of South America.

Unknown to Carl upon takeoff, an 8-year-old stowaway named Russell will also attend, making for a creative expedition in a strange place filled with surprises and danger.

Its characters and their stories make it one of Pixar’s saddest movies, and it definitely earned the title. Docter created the movie’s outline from dreams of escaping life when it gets too much.

It is praised for every movie aspect, including its emotional depth, vocal performances, characters, themes, and narrative.

It was nominated for five Academy Awards, winning two and four Critic’s Choice Awards, also winning two, and won the two Golden Globe Awards it was nominated for.

It became the second of three animated films ever to be nominated for the Academy Awards’ Best Picture after Beauty and the Beast and before Toy Story 3.

Edward Asner voices Carl Fredricksen in Up, one of the best sad movies that make you cry.Edward Asner voices Carl Fredricksen in Up, one of the best sad movies that make you cry.
(Pixar Animation Studios/Prime Video Screenshot)

Marley & Me

Marley & Me is a touching film based on John Grogan’s memoir of the same name. It stars Owen Wilson (Loki), Jennifer Aniston (Friends), Eric Dane (Grey’s Anatomy) and Euphoria), and Alan Arkin, along with several different labrador retrievers, who play Marley since the film covers 13 years of his life.

When John (Wilson) and Jenny (Aniston) Grogan start thinking about children, John’s friend suggests they adopt a dog first to see how ready they are to have a family. In comes labrador puppy Marley, named after Bob Marley.

The movie tells the story of the couple’s lives and raising Marley, along with all the craziness and ups and downs that come with owning a dog.

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The film has hilarious moments and heartbreaking ones as well. Pet owners will relate to and cry to this film, understanding how animals can become just as loved and dear as a person.

At the 2009 Teen Choice Awards, Aniston was nominated for Choice Movie Actress: Comedy, Owen Wilson & Marley were nominated for Choice Movie Liplock, and the film won Choice Movie: Bromantic Comedy.

It earned Aniston a nomination for Favorite Movie Actress at the Kids’ Choice Awards, and Theodore Shapiro won the BMI Film Music Award at the BMI Film & TV Awards.

Marley as a pup when John and Jenny adopt him.Marley as a pup when John and Jenny adopt him.
(20th Century Fox/Prime Video Screenshot)

The Florida Project

The Florida Project premiered at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, and for numerous cast members, it was their first film appearance. It stars Bria Vinaite, Brooklynn Prince (Home Before Dark), and Willem Dafoe, with Valeria Cotto, Christopher Rivera, and Caleb Landry Jones in supporting roles.

The indie-feeling film centers around six-year-old Moonee (Prince), who lives with her single and unemployed mother in a motel in Kissimmee, Florida, and their struggle to make ends meet in the area ruled by nearby Disney World.

The theme park was code-named “The Florida Project” in its developmental stages. It shows the real contrast of the locals’ unenchanted lives in the “Magic Kingdom” atmosphere.

Moonee’s summer is spent mostly unsupervised and making the most of where they live has to offer with her neighbor, Scooty (Rivera), and nearby local moteler, Dicky (Aiden Malik).

They frequently mess with the motel manager, Bobby (Dafoe), who is protective over the kids since he knows their parents struggle.

The all-too-real depiction of what natives go through in a world of visitors having a “magical” vacation makes this movie one of the best movies that make you cry.

It is painful but also a beautiful story of how living situations do not take away the love kids foster towards their parents and their creative ability to be resourceful.

Brooklynn Prince as Moonee in The Florida Project.Brooklynn Prince as Moonee in The Florida Project.
(A24/Prime Video Screenshot)

Prince’s performance earned her a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Young Performer, and Dafoe’s stellar performance earned him nominations for Best Supporting Actor at the Oscars, Golden Globes, SAG Awards, Critics Choice Awards, and BAFTA Awards.

Titanic

The well-known depiction that mixes fiction with the historical sinking of the RMS Titanic stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet (HBO‘s The Regime), featuring Billy Zane, Kathy Bates, Frances Fisher, Bernard Hill, Jonathan Hyde, Danny Nucci, David Warner, and Bill Paxton.

It was the most expensive film ever made at the time, with a $200 million production budget.

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It tells the love story of Rose and Jack aboard the Titanic, who come from different backgrounds. Rose is in a loveless engagement to maintain her family’s upper-class status, and Jack is an artist with little means.

However, the two fall in love, but disaster is on the horizon, and the ending to their story is brought with many tears.

Not only that, but the fact that it tells the real-life story of a ship’s brutal fate, makes it a historically sad film. It was nominated for 14 Academy Awards and won 11, including Best Picture and Best Director.

It was the first film to gross a billion dollars and remained the highest-grossing film until Avatar came along.

Kate Winslet as Rose and Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack in Titanic.Kate Winslet as Rose and Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack in Titanic.
(20th Century Studios/Prime Video Screenshot)

P.S. I Love You

P.S. I Love You is based on Cecelia Ahern’s novel of the same name. It stars Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Lisa Kudrow, Gina Gershon, James Marsters, Harry Connick Jr., and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Supernatural and The Walking Dead).

Married couple, Holly and Gerry, are passionately in love but have their fair share of arguments. The tragedy comes early in this film as Gerry dies early on, causing Holly to fall into an isolating depression.

However, their story is not over; a cassette is delivered to Holly, holding recordings of Gerry, who had made them before he died.

How the story unfolds in this way, knowing what happened and then seeing their inseparable relationship unfold and Holly’s life play out after, is what makes it extremely emotional and heartbreaking.

It earned Swank a People’s Choice Irish Film and Television Award in 2008 for Best International Actress. Gerry is Irish, and the movie was filmed in New York City and County Wicklow, Ireland. The original book was set in Ireland, but the film is Americanized.

Hillary Swank as Holly in P.S. I Love You.Hillary Swank as Holly in P.S. I Love You.
(Warner Bros./Prime Video Screenshot)

These emotional movies have been considered sentimental in movie history and are perfect if a sobfest is on the agenda.

In the comments below, tell us about your favorite tear-inducing movie and why.

We hope you have a good cry!

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