2022 has seen its fair share of emotional movies. In AppleTV+'s The Sky is Everywhere, Lennie is grieving her late sister Bailey, and millennial heartbreak is the main theme in The Worst Person In The World. These stories allow audiences to relate, think about their own experiences, and enjoy the cathartic experience of feeling emotions.
Sometimes audiences expect a film to be sad and other times, it comes as a huge surprise as there's a plot twist that changes everything. Redditors are sharing the most melancholy movies that they have ever seen, and it's definitely tough not to tear up while watching these.
Stepmom (1998)
Stream on HBO Max
Stepmom is one of the best honest movies about motherhood and excels in showing the story from two perspectives: Jackie Harrison, who is divorced and raising her kids, and Jackie's ex-husband Luke's new partner Isabel. When Jackie shares that she has cancer, Isabel steps in to help the children even more, and Jackie comes to terms with how much they love Isabel.
Redditor captainfreckle28 posted that "Stepmom with Julia Roberts always makes me cry far too much." It's tough not to become teary eyed when watching Jackie say goodbye to her family. The movie takes an impossibly difficult situation and treats the characters with respect and compassion.
Never Let Me Go (2010)
Rent on AppleTV
Adapted from Kazuo Ishiguro's book, Never Let Me Go blends a beautiful character study with science fiction. The main character, Kathy H, is living in a world where people can live to be more than 100. When she's a student, a teacher lets her and her classmates know that they won't because they're going to donate organs and, as a result, aren't going to live.
Redditor scorpious wrote that the "Novel reduced me to tears, solid adaptation beautifully rendered did the same." The film does an impressive job of showing Kathy through her life, as she falls in love with her friend Tommy D and makes the difficult choice to help others donate organs so she can survive. It's a somber story with some hope.
A Beautiful Mind (2001)
Stream on Hulu
Based on the life story of John Nash, a brilliant mathematician who did a lot for game theory, A Beautiful Mind is a beloved film that is often considered to be full of feeling. One Redditor wrote, "The ending of A Beautiful Mind brought me to tears."
Directed by Ron Howard and starring Russell Crowe in the main role, A Beautiful Mind is a well-told tale as John Nash learns that he has schizophrenia and the movie focuses on how he continues his amazing and impressive career.
50/50 (2011)
Rent on AppleTV
Redditor hankventure83 suggested "50/50 with Joseph Gordon-Levitt" as a sad film and Redditor gassito replied, "That scene where he's about to go into surgery and he's instantly a kid again asking his mom to save him."
One of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's best movies, 50/50 is an honest, genuine look at what happens when a young adult learns that they have cancer. Adam's best friend Kyle is there for him the entire time, but his girlfriend Rachael leaves him. The movie is an emotional, real take on how this type of situation will show someone what they really want out of life and who their true friends and support systems are.
The Green Mile (1999)
Stream on Tubi and rent on AppleTV
Adapted from the Stephen King novel, the 1999 film The Green Mile is about guards at death row at Cold Mountain Penitentiary and the difficult lives that they have led. King's novel was published a few years earlier in 1996.
Redditor Elaine_I_Think shared that The Green Mile is a film that they consider to be really sad. The fan wrote, "that movie destroyed me. Del's execution, John refusing to let them break him out of jail, all the guards sobbing when they put him in the chair."
Dear Zachary (2008)
Stream on Prime Video and Tubi
Replying to a thread about sad movies, Redditor marley88 wrote, "Dear Zachary" seems to be a popular answer. The documentary from 2008 tells the story of Kurt Kuenne, whose best friend Andrew Bagby was tragically killed. The film delves into Bagby's relationship with Shirley Turner and is an absolutely gut-wrenching story about Andrew and Shirley's relationship, the realization that Shirley killed Andrew, and the love that Kurt has for his friend.
Kuenne wanted to make the movie as a way to speak to Kuenne's son Zachary. The story ends in an even more upsetting way, and the film appeared at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. It is often praised as a great example of an emotional documentary.
Beaches (1988)
Rent on AppleTV
Cecilia Carol "C.C." Bloom and Hillary Whitney have been best friends since forever when Beaches opens, and it's one of the best movies about childhood friendships and also what happens when the characters grow up, experience life changes, and still care a lot about each other.
Redditor Hepcatoy loves Beaches and said the movie makes them emotional because "I have one very close friend that has been with me since childhood, and this movie hits harder the older we get."
Big Fish (2003)
Stream on Netflix
Adapted from Daniel Wallace's book, Big Fish is known as a tearjerker. The film tells the story of Will Bloom, who thinks that his father Edward tells stories that aren't true, but when Ed becomes sick, Will begins listening more to these tales and trying to figure out what is correct.
Redditor rlphl said "My dad had passed the year before and we had been estranged. The whole death bed reconciliation... I was WEEPING." Big Fish is about the heartbreaking moment of losing a loved one but feeling like they will always be there.
About Time (2013)
Rent on AppleTV
About Time is one of the best movies about time travel and Redditor Wilheim_Amenbreak posted that it is "the saddest time travel movie ever."
The main character, Tim Lake, is able to go back in time because his male relatives have this magical power. He thinks that this is fun because he can find his soulmate, but when his father James is dying, Tim realizes the beauty of living life the way that he is meant to, focusing on his family, and not worrying about time travel. The film is tough to watch at points but it's an ultimately heartfelt and hopeful story about family and love.
Blue Valentine (2010)
Stream on Peacock
In Blue Valentine, Cindy Heller and Dean Pereira meet and fall in love when they're young, but they realize that love isn't enough to sustain them as they get older and experience many problems. Cindy doesn't feel that Dean has enough passion or a strong work ethic, while Dean tries his best to show his wife that he can change and that they should stay together.
Redditor 05110909 said, "That movie is absolutely crushing." Blue Valentine is definitely considered one of the saddest films as the characters' love story seems hopeless the more time that passes, and it's a well-crafted story as it isn't told in order.