There’s something deeply cathartic about a good cry. The world can be overwhelming at times, and letting the tears flow freely in a safe space, like at home under your favorite blanket, is an ideal way to let out some steam. A good story is a surefire way to elicit some tears, and if you’ve been feeling the need to have a good cry sesh yourself, then watching a movie can be an unexpected act of self-care.
Movies can inspire you, get you in the holiday spirit and yes—make you cry. Whether you’re looking for laughter through tears, a heartbreaking ugly cry, or an uplifting story that makes you weep with joy—here’s a round-up of movies to watch with a stack of tissues. Since not all crying is created equal, I’ve categorized them based on vibes. They start with unbearable gut punches and work their way toward stories that’ll break open your heart. Here’s to cherishing the essence of life, let’s dive in!
The Devastating Cry
These are the movies that destroy you in the best (or worst?) way. The following films are raw, heart-wrenching stories that are sure to stay with you. In my personal opinion, you watch these films once and let them marinate. There’s no need to watch them more than once, maybe ever, so save these for when you really want to sob. They’re emotionally intense, often centered around grief, loss, or trauma—and they linger long after the credits roll.
Feature image by Michelle Nash.
Sophie’s Choice
Classic Meryl Streep. This gut-wrenching story is a psychological drama about the relationship between three people in Brooklyn who share a boarding house. It’s revealed that Streep’s character, Sophie, is a Holocaust survivor. The titular choice, revealed in a harrowing flashback, is one of the most soul crushing moments in cinema history. Ugly crying is an understatement—have tissues ready!
Available on: Tubi
Still Alice
Still Alice follows Alice, played by Julianne Moore, and her family as they grapple with Alice’s early on-set Alzheimer’s disease. Julianne Moore gives a devastating performance—the slow unraveling of her identity is what makes this film hit so hard. The film tries to end on a hopeful note, but to be honest, I was left with the sinking feeling that Alzheimer’s is truly a heartbreaking disease. This film cuts deep.
Available on: Amazon Prime
The Whale
Brendan Fraser got well-deserved raves for his portrayal as Charlie, a reclusive and dangerously unhealthy English teacher in The Whale. The film explores regret, isolation and redemption that will leave you in a puddle by the end of it.
Available on: Netflix
The Pianist
Holocaust movies are guaranteed to rip your heart out and The Pianist does exactly that. Based on the true story of Wladyslaw Szpilman, a Jewish pianist surviving the Holocaust—this film is both haunting and deeply human. Certain scenes will sit with you forever. This film swept the Oscars in 2003, winning Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor to Adrien Brody.
Available on: Amazon Prime
Room
Talk about a movie to make you cry! This very intense film is about a mother and her young son escaping captivity. It’s a harrowing story that deals with pretty sensitive subject matter, like being held captive in an enclosed space for years, so be warned and emotionally ready. The scene where they finally reach safety—and the son sees the world for the first time—will leave you completely undone.
Available on: Amazon Prime
Life Is Beautiful
Even just thinking about this movie makes me ugly cry. While it is painted as a comedy-drama, and there are certainly moments of immense beauty—the backdrop of this film is so dark that it truly just rips my heart out. Life Is Beautiful follows Guido and Giosue, a Jewish father and son separated from Guido’s wife in a concentration camp. Guido is determined to protect his son from the horrors that surround them and convinces him that it’s all a game. See how even the premise of the film is utterly gut-wrenching? Proceed with caution.
Available on: YouTube
The “I Wasn’t Ready” Cry
These films sneak up on you, sometimes with a final scene or a singular moment that absolutely wrecks you (especially if pets are involved!). By now, these films shouldn’t come as a surprise, but consider this your official warning and heads up. They all take a turn that are sure to leave you wiping away tears.
Marley & Me
If I’m being honest, I can’t bring myself to watch a film where I know the dog dies in the end. You know it’s coming, and you still inevitably sob. Most of the film is completely charming, but if you’re fully prepared to ugly cry, this film is worth watching. Marley and Me is based on a true story, and anyone who owns a dog knows how special the relationship is with your pet. They truly become family, and that’s what Marley and Me explores so beautifully.
Available on: Amazon Prime
Titanic
You know the iceberg is coming, but does anyone else wish the Titanic never sank? That Jack and Rose could have lived happily ever after? This film is a classic tearjerker that truly never gets old. It’s inching its way to its 30th anniversary and it continues to be iconic. How can you not cry as ill-fated lovers with completely different backgrounds board a ship you know is going to sink?
Available on: Amazon Prime
UP
I will never forget choking down sobs in the movie theatre as I watched UP for the first time. The opening montage alone is a short film of heartbreak and resilience and I never saw it coming. All you need to do to get the waterworks going is to listen to Michael Giacchino’s timeless score, but sitting down to watch UP is a guaranteed way to cry. Carl and Ellie’s story isn’t even the main focus of the film, but it’s crafted so stunningly that you will never forget it.
Available on: Disney+
West Side Story
I’ll argue that both the 1961 version, as well as Steven Spieldberg’s 2021 retelling of West Side Story are bound to make you cry. West Side Story is a classic musical based on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, and we all know what happens to them at the end of the story. Still, West Side Story veers in its own direction, which makes it easy to hope that Tony and Maria can really make it in the end. A tragic love story paired with beautiful music—how can you not cry?
Available on: Disney+
The Poignant Cry
These movies make you cry because they show life in all its messy beauty—joy, sorrow, connection, and everything in between. This is personally my favorite kind of cry. As opposed to the ugly cry films that I prefer to watch once then never again—these are films I come back to again and again. I can rely on them for tears, and I know they won’t completely destroy me. Phew! Layered, complex, and emotionally rich, these movies to make you cry will crack you open and stitch you back together all at once.
The Color Purple (1985)
Whoopi Goldberg is transcendent in this film. The ups and downs of Celie’s life are a roller coaster of emotions, but the way she triumphs in the end by reuniting with her sister (and Mister’s redemption arc) have me in tears every single time. The more recent musical adaptation of the film is also fantastic, but the 1985 version has my heart.
Available on: Roku
Dead Poets Society
“O Captain, my Captain.” Enough said. The late Robin Williams is incredible in all of his films, but there’s something truly special about Dead Poets Society. Williams plays a new English teacher at an all-boys preparatory school. He helps his students break out of their shells, overcome the immense pressures their parents instill on them and infuse their lives with beauty and passion that only poetry can bring. Keep the tissues nearby, you’re going to need them.
Available on: Amazon Prime
Forrest Gump
Another one of my all-time favorite films, Forrest Gump will have you wiping away tears of triumph and heartbreak all at once. I can immediately think of at least five scenes that move me to tears and honestly—I’m sure there are even more than that. There are so many moments to choose from, but I’ll just leave you with Forrest’s final monologue to Jenny under their tree. (brb sobbing!)
Available on: Paramount+
Coco
I simply cannot watch this film without blubbering by the end of it. Disney certainly knows how to weave a heartfelt story, and Coco is a celebration of family, tradition and honoring loved ones who’ve passed on. I dare you to not cry as Miguel sings “Remember Me” towards the end of the film. The animation is also incredible, it’s truly a feast for the senses.
Available on: Disney+
Inside Out
Inside Out is a film that will always make me teary-eyed. Movies that explore nostalgia and the loss of childhood are sure to hit you in the feels as an adult. Riley’s bittersweet coming of age comes in the form of her imaginary friend Bing-Bong saying goodbye, and Joy and Sadness coming together to create an emotion with complexity—it’s all so beautiful and will surely move you to tears.
Available on: Disney+
A League Of Their Own
Maybe a curveball (pun intended) but A League Of Their Own always makes me cry. There are so many iconic lines (There’s no crying in baseball!) and while it’s mostly a comedy, there are some unexpected gut punches sprinkled throughout. I’m mainly talking about the devastating Betty Spaghetti scene, followed by Dottie reuniting with her husband. It never fails to make me choke up.
Available on: Tubi
Little Miss Sunshine
When you combine a solid script and a powerhouse cast, you get a fantastic movie like Little Miss Sunshine. The film follows the Hoover family as they roadtrip in a VW bus to support their daughter Olive (a completely adorable Abigail Breslin) in a beauty pageant. My heart breaks when Olive asks her grandfather if she’s pretty, then confides in him that she’s afraid of losing. I also never fail to lose it when Paul Dano’s character learns he’s color blind.
Available on: Hulu
The “She Loved and Lost” Cry
It felt right to create a category for the uniquely emotional experiences of women. This category homes in on love stories, sisterhood, and female-led heartbreaks. In short, the girls that get it, get it.
Steel Magnolias
One of my favorite films of all time. Dolly Parton has a line where she says “Laughter through tears is my favorite emotion,” and this is exactly what happens as you watch this movie. Steel Magnolias follows a group of women that share a close bond as they connect in and out of a neighborhood hair salon. The cast is stellar and you’ll both laugh and cry. Sally Field delivers an iconic monologue towards the end of the film, immediately followed by one of the funniest. It’s truly magical, and is a wonderful and beautiful reminder that friendships are something to be cherished.
Available on: MAX
Little Women (1994)
I’ll never forget the moment I watched this film for maybe the third or fourth time in high school—and finally realizing why Jo ends up with the Professor instead of Laurie. The discovery made me weep. It’s completely common for young girls to be upset that Jo and Laurie don’t end up together (I was in that camp for sure!) but truly understanding why they aren’t right for eachother feels like a coming of age in and of itself. I will never not cry when Beth dies (young Claire Danes is simply incredible), when Jo finishes her novel, and when she and the Professor kiss under the umbrella.
Available on: Pluto
Shakespeare In Love
A period romantic comedy? Say less! I was a total theatre kid growing up, and the scenes at the Globe in this film always leave me teary-eyed. Shakespeare In Love is a bittersweet love story, and if you’re a romantic at heart, it’s sure to move you to tears. Although the story is fiction, it’s a fascinating peek into what life must have really been like in Shakespeare’s time. The poetry, the lush costumes, and Dame Judi Dench’s Oscar-winning performance (for eight minutes of screentime!) makes it absolutely worth the watch.
Available on: Paramount+
No matter what kind of cry you’re craving, there’s something for everyone on this list. Whether you decide to cry alone, with a partner or with the girls, a cozy movie night in is definitely worth having. Pass the popcorn, please!
