32 Best Tearjerker Movies of All Time

Who doesn’t love a good cry? It doesn’t matter if you’re a macho bro or someone with a soft touch, nothing is more freeing than crying. It’s a great way to get your emotions out and express how you are feeling, especially if you’re sad and deep in your feelings. And there is no better way to unload than watching a tearjerker movie. But don’t just take our word for it. Even science agrees, with a 2012 study proposing that watching sad movies actually makes us happy.

The best tearjerker movies come from all genres, such as rom-coms, heartbreaking dramas, animated features, and soulful coming-of-age movies. We’ve collected our favorite sad movies that will have you tearing up before the credits roll and leave you feeling emotionally exhausted. So grab a box of tissues, cuddle up with your partner (or pet), and get ready to go on an emotional roller coaster with these classic tearjerker movies. 

32 Best Tearjerker Movies of All Time

1. The Notebook (2004)

The movie that made Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams stars, The Notebook has plenty of teary moments throughout its two-hour runtime. Told in flashbacks, the movie charts the love story of Gosling and McAdams across the 1940s as they fall in and out of love with each other. 

It’s your typical love story elevated by a great script based on Nicolas Spark’s book of the same name, a terrific cast combining up-and-comers (Gosling, MacAdams, and James Marsden) and legends (James Garner, Gena Rowlands, and Sam Shepherd), and masterful direction from John Cassavetes. 

Watch on Netflix

2. Terms of Endearment (1983)

An 80s classic written, directed, and produced by James L. Brooks with an incredible cast (Debra Winger, Shirley MacLaine, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Jeff Daniels, and John Lithgow) and a heartbreaking ending, you’ll need an entire box of tissues while watching Terms of Endearment.

The movie focuses on the relationship between a mother (MacLaine) and daughter (Winger) and the complicated bond they share as they deal with infidelity, commitment fears, and illness. The second highest-grossing film of 1983,

Tears of Endearment won big at the Oscars, claiming five awards; Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress (for MacLaine), Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actor (for Nicholson).

Watch on HBOMax

3. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Coming from the mind of Charlie Kaufman and director Michel Gondry, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a somber look at relationships and second chances. When Jim Carrey discovers his former flame Kate Winslet is having her memories of him erased, he decides to do the same in an act of revenge. 

Their relationship is told in flashbacks as Carrey undergoes the procedure, with the ambiguous ending leaving you wondering if you would choose the same path. 

Watch on iQIYI

4. Beaches (1988)

You’ll be blubbering like a baby while watching this all-time tearjerker. Two best friends played by Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey reflect on their life through flashbacks in a movie that critics hated but moviegoers loved. Love triangles, illness, and friendship make up the bulk of this fantastic movie that also gave us the Midler classic “Wind Beneath My Wings.” 

Watch on Prime

5. Pieces of a Woman (2020)

Pieces of a Woman is more than just a tearjerker. It deals with grief, loss, and depression and is a movie that will not only have you bawling your eyes out but also picturing yourself in the character’s situation and wondering what you would do. 

Vanessa Kirby – in arguably her greatest performance – and Shia LaBeouf are a married couple who have a home birth that goes terribly wrong. The film focuses on the couple and the aftermath of their child’s death as they decide to bring a lawsuit against the midwife who helped with the birth. 

This one really hits home to anyone who has lost a child and is the kind of movie Netflix needs to invest in more instead of the streaming service’s stupid and bland blockbusters. 

Watch on Netflix

6. My Girl (1991)

After the success of Home Alone, Macaulay Culkin continued his hot run in the coming-of-age drama My Girl. The movie shows the developing friendship between Culkin and Anna Chlumsky over the course of one summer in 1972.

Full of laughs, life lessons, and a tragic ending, My Girl is a magical movie with a great cast and an even better script. The use of The Temptations’ “My Girl” is also a bonus. 

Watch on Netflix

7. P.S. I Love You (2007)

Yes, it’s a soppy romance with two very attractive people in the lead roles (Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler), but P.S. I Love You is also a really great film. Based on the book of the same name, Swank and Butler are very much in love when old mate Butler carks it. Distraught, Swank is unsure how to go on until letters from Butler begin showing up, urging her to keep living. 

Set between New York and Ireland, P.S. I Love You is not your standard romance, with a good mixture of drama, laughs, and sadness that will have you reaching for the tissues. 

Watch on Prime

8. Sophie’s Choice (1982)

A Meryl Streep masterclass in acting and a shocking conclusion makes Sophie’s Choice one of the most memorable movies of the 80s. Streep is a Polish immigrant who survived the Holocaust after being held captive in a concentration camp during the war. As she tries to live a normal life in America, her past soon catches up with her, with an incident that occurred during her capture the catalyst for the events that unfold in the movie. 

To say any more would ruin the film, suffice to say Sophie’s Choice is an incredible piece of filmmaking with a climax that will leave you shook. 

Watch on Netflix

9. Marriage Story (2019)

Writer and directed Noah Baumbach has perfected the family drama over the years and 2019s Marriage Story is no exception. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver star as a couple living on opposite sides of the United States who are going through a painful divorce. While heartbreaking and sad, Marriage Story is also littered with humor, helping balance the overall feel of the film. 

Watch on Netflix

10. The Fox and the Hound (1981)

This might not seem like an obvious choice, but The Fox and the Hound has several sob-worthy moments. The key to the movie is the relationship between Tod the fox and Cooper the hunting dog. Beginning as friends when they first meet as young animals, it’s when they are fully grown and realize they have different roles in life that the waterworks will start kicking off. 

Full of ups and downs, plenty of memorable scenes, and a great voice cast (Mickey Rooney, Kurt Russell, and Pearl Bailey), this is a tearjerker the whole family can enjoy. 

Watch on Disney+

11. Moonlight (2017)

This Oscar-winning flick follows a young black man from childhood to manhood as he deals with not only issues of race, but being a colored gay man in America. Moonlight cements Barry Jenkins as a generational talent and includes strong performances from the entire cast, but especially Naomie Harris, and Mahershala Ali. Moonlight is a really sad movie addressing modern issues that is also visually stunning. 

Watch on Showtime

12. The Lion King (1994)

Do we really have to explain this one? The first act of this much-loved animated movie will have you reaching for the Kleenex as young lion cub Simba deals with the death of his father and is forced to journey out into the unknown.

Even watching as an adult knowing what happens you are sure to tear up as you watch events unfold on the screen. Stay away from the live-action remake though, it’s horrible. 

13. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

Million Dollar Baby is depressing and probably won’t leave you feeling great by the film’s end, but it’s an incredible piece of filmmaking from Clint Eastwood, who also stars. Eastwood takes on Hilary Swank’s struggling female boxer and turns her into a future champion until tragedy strikes. 

The performances from Eastwood, Swank (who won the Oscar for Best Actress), and Morgan Freeman (who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor) as Eastwood’s buddy are phenomenal, while the simple story about second chances and mortality suits the world of boxing. 

Watch on Tubi

 

 

14. Fruitvale Station (2013)

Based on real-life events, Fruitvale Station follows the moments that led to the shooting death of Oscar Grant by transit police on New Year’s Day, 2009. Ryan Coogler’s directing debut hits all the right notes while Michael B. Jordan shows why he’s part of the current crop of great young actors in the role of Grant.

Even though you might know the outcome of this movie, it’s no less effective and still packs a punch in the current climate. 

Watch on Tubi

15. A Star Is Born (2018)

While the Bette Milder and Kris Kristofferson version is fantastic, it’s hard to go past Bradley Cooper’s remake. The film stars Cooper, who also directed, as an alcoholic country singer who discovers wannabe singer Lady Gaga in a dive bar. They embark on a passionate romance as Gaga’s star rises and Cooper’s fades.

Looking at the impact fame, celebrity, and addiction can have on a person, A Star Is Born is a heartbreaking retelling of the classic story with stand-out performances from Cooper, Gaga, and Sam Elliot as Cooper’s brother. The songs are also top-notch, with “Swallow” winning Best Original Song at the Academy Awards. 

Watch on Prime

16. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Before slapping Chris Rock, Will Smith was one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. While known for blockbusters such as Bad Boys, Independence Day, and Ali, it’s his smaller roles that showcase his talents. The Pursuit of Happiness is one such movie, with Smith playing a homeless man trying to look after his child while finding a job and a place to live. 

Based on the true story of Chris Gardner, Smith is full of compassion and fire as he overcomes adversity and finds his place in the world. 

Watch on Netflix

17. The Color Purple (1985)

Based on the novel of the same name by American author Alice Walker, The Color Purple is the definition of a tearjerker. It tells the story of African-American girl Celie Harris who is trying to make the most of her life and the situation she has been put in. Dealing with themes of racism, domestic violence, incest, and pedophilia, The Color Purple is a heavy watch but is certainly worth your time. 

Helmed by Steven Spielberg, the movie is not only shot incredibly well but tells a fascinating and tragic story with a cast that includes Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Rae Dawn Chong, and Oprah Winfrey. 

Watch on Prime

18. Selena (1997)

Jennifer Lopez became a star after playing Tejano music sensation Selena Quintanilla Pérez in the 1997 biographical drama Selena. The movie charts Selena’s journey from a struggling artist to a worldwide superstar before her life was tragically cut short at the age of 23. 

Lopez embodies Selena in the role she was born to play in a movie that successfully brings Selena’s short-lived but celebrated life to the big screen. 

Watch on Tubi

19. Forrest Gump (1994)

Forrest Gump might not immediately jump to the front of your mind when thinking about tearjerker movies, but there are plenty of moments throughout this emotional drama when you will need a Kleenex or two. Tom Hanks is Forrest Gump, a mentally challenged individual who has achieved greatness in life through his kind ways. 

Sitting at a bus stop, he tells his life story to fellow passengers, with his exploits including everything from fighting in Vietnam and starting a shrimp company to meeting several presidents and playing ping pong at the Olympics. At the heart of all this is Gump’s love for Jenny (Robin Wright), with their rocky romance stretching across the decades and playing a vital role in Gump’s life. 

Watch on Prime

20. Other People (2016)

Death isn’t a laughing matter, but Other People shows a little humor can help in the most emotional times. Chris Kelly writes and directs this drama-comedy based on his own family issues. Struggling comedy writer David Mulcahey (Jesse Plemons), who has just broken up with his boyfriend, returns to his hometown after his mom is diagnosed with terminal cancer. The movie focuses on Mulcahey as he deals with his own personal issues and those of his immediate family while trying to support his mom.

For anyone who has watched a loved one die from a terminal illness, Other People will really hit home. It does a great job of balancing drama with comedy and shows how much family really means. Props to Molly Shannon who plays the mom and absolutely nails it. 

Watch on Netflix

21. Schindler’s List (1993)

Stephen Spielberg does it again with this chilling drama about the Holocaust. Liam Neeson is Oskar Schindler, a German industrialist who employs many Polish- Jewish people in his factory to stop them from being sent to concentration camps when the Nazis invade Poland. 

Filmed in black and white, Schindler’s List is an epic war movie based on real-life events that shows both the brutality and humility of war. Neeson is fantastic as Schindler while Ralph Fiennes as SS Second Lieutenant Amon Göth is truly terrifying. An incredible piece of filmmaking. 

Watch on Showtime

22. Dead Poets Society (1989)

Robin Williams proved he was more than a comedy actor with his dramatic performance in Peter Weir’s Dead Poets Society. The cult classic stars Williams as an English teacher at an elite all-boys school in the 1950s who inspires his students to be the best version of themselves through poetry. 

Winning an Academy Award for Best Screenplay, turning Ethan Hawke into a star, and showcasing Williams’ acting chops, Dead Poets Society is an engaging movie with an uplifting finale that will have you all misty-eyed. 

Watch on Disney+

23. Our Friend (2019)

Jason Segal swaps comedy for drama in this tearjerker based on the Esquire article “The Friend: Love Is Not a Big Enough Word.” Casey Affleck and Dakota Johnson find themselves struggling to raise their two children when Johnson discovers her cancer is terminal. Segal plays their longtime friend who drops everything and moves in with the couple to help them get through this period in their lives. 

Watch on Prime

24. Marley & Me (2008)

Anytime you have a movie that features an animal in a prominent role you know the tears will be flowing at some point. Marley & Me focuses on couple Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston and how their life unfolds over several years. During this time they adopt a dog, Marley, who is front and center as they change jobs, have kids, and move states. 

This one has just as many laughs as it does sad moments and is the perfect vehicle for Wilson and Aniston. While the ending is upsetting, you can’t help but smile and marvel at how dogs really are man’s best friend. 

Watch on Prime

25. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

Two teens with cancer fall in love and try to live their best lives in this tearjerker based on John Green’s 2012 novel of the same name. Hazel (Shailene Woodley) and Gus (Ansel Elgort) meet in a support group for young people with cancer and form a bond that seems them travel to Amsterdam to meet Hazel’s favorite author.

Watch on HBOMax

26. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger are cowboys who hide their love from others due to the way the world looks down on same-sex relationships. Both actors are wonderful as men torn between their families and each other, with Ang Lee’s direction and support from Anne Hathaway and Michelle Williams helping make this Oscar-winning picture a must-watch for those who love a romance with plenty of sad moments. 

Watch on Prime