For me, what makes a movie truly sad is one that makes me tear up every single time I watch it as well as leaving me with a feeling of loss at the end. There are many films out there that make me become an emotional mess in various spots throughout, but by the end they create a positive and uplifting feeling that sends you off feeling content. The following 10 movies are truly sad movies and are my top 10 of this type. Each film leaves me feeling the loss of those on the screen and I cannot watch any of them without tearing up.
I first saw this movie when I was 10 years old and I have been a fan ever since. The musical twist on the classic Romeo and Juliet story is infectious as well as moving. Natalie Wood as Maria is moving and endearing. It is her character throughout the movie that is the most gripping which climaxes in the final scene of the movie. Just when there is hope that Maria and Tony will be together, and they are running towards each other to embrace, he is shot. Her heart-wrenching singing of Somewhere while he is dying in her arms rips out your heart. After he is gone and she verbally attacks all of those present you can feel her pain. I cry throughout the entire final scene of West Side Story every time I watch it.
Saving Private Ryan
This is my favorite war-time movie. The story of the Ryan family is both touching and sad when you find out that the Mrs. Ryan has already lost 3 of her 4 sons to the War. Watching Tom Hanks and his crew fight and struggle through war-torn France in order to find Private Ryan and send him home is moving and deeply upsetting as you watch one after another give their lives in order to save one. Hank’s crew succeeds in finding Private Ryan and the next challenge is to get him out of the country alive. The saddest part of the film is as the men try to defend the town they find Ryan in, under over-whelming German presence, and all but three of the men die. The tear-jerking part comes when Hanks tells Ryan with his last words “Earn it.” The movie closes with an elderly Ryan saluting Hank’s grave in modern day. The image is so touching it always brings tears to my eyes.
Atonement
I was honestly surprised at how quickly I was entranced by this film. After watching previews of this film, I wasn’t even sure if I was interested in seeing it. I did watch it though, and I am very glad that I did. The tragic love story hooks you from the very beginning and drags you along for the roller coaster of the character’s lives. Keira Knightly plays the leading lady Cecilia and James McAvoy plays her love interest, Robbie. Following accusations of rape and being forced to join the military to fight in WWII, instead of serving prison time, I was so thrilled to see that the two lovers do end up reuniting in London. Then you learn that it isn’t true. Cecilia and Robbie never do get to reunite and never get to share their love. They both die during the war. I was left empty and disappointed.
Untamed Heart
Christian Slater is amazing in this movie. He plays the part of Adam, the boy with the ‘broken’ heart, perfectly. You develop a soft spot in your heart for the quiet and sweet busboy that falls for the unlucky in love Caroline (Marisa Tomei). She introduces him to the wonders of the world, and he teaches her about pure love. When he dies on their way back from the hockey game, he has a smile on his face and my heart breaks. I cannot watch this film without crying.
Titanic
The topic of this film itself is sad and depressing. Over 1,000 people died when the RMS Titanic sank in 1912. James Cameron took one of the greatest tragedies of all time and created a tragic love story to accentuate the loss of that night. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet gave this movie believability and the soul that it needed in order to succeed. You believe their passion; you believe her angst; and lastly you believe the heartbreak that being felt as Jack (DiCaprio) drifts away. I cry like a baby every single time I watch this film.
Braveheart
The movie starts off sad as you watch a young William Wallace lose his father and brother and be taken away from his home to live with his Uncle. Upon his return to his home, the heartbreak continues as Wallace (played by Mel Gibson) falls in love with a childhood love interest, only to have her killed by the English soldiers. He then makes it his mission to drive the English from his beloved Scotland and inspires tribes throughout Scotland to follow Wallace and fight for their freedom. Following the betrayal by those he trusted in Scotland, he is captured and sentenced to death. I can’t watch this movie without tearing up in several parts of the film, but especially at the end when he sees his love walking among the crowd of onlookers and he yells out “FREEDOM” before he is beheaded. The real-life William Wallace was an inspiration to everyone in Scotland and the film did a wonderful job in portraying that.
Up Close And Personal
Michelle Pfeiffer plays a role based loosely on a true story, about a TV news anchor and her love interest played by Robert Redford. The movie follows Pfeiffer’s character, Tally Atwater, in her struggle to become a respectable news anchor. She falls in love with Redford’s character, which has been slowly moving down the career ladder. He takes her under his wing and teaches her everything he has learned throughout the years in the business and they fall deeply in love. It is the final scenes of the movie that turn this film from a story about inspiration into tragedy. When Pfeiffer sees Redford’s boots on the video feed following a bombing, and you see the recognition on her face when she realizes he has died, my heart breaks. I cry as she begins to cry.
Cold Mountain
This movie highlights the struggles that people went through during the American Civil War, and not just on the battlefield. It shows the bloody battles and huge loss of lives on the battlefields, but is also shows how those left at home suffered while trying to survive without husbands, brothers, fathers, and sons around. Jude Law plays the lead character, Inman, who spends the entire film trying to make it through the war torn country-side, meeting people along the way, in order to make it back to the woman he loves, Nicole Kidman (Ada). Kidman, on the other hand, is back home trying to learn how to care for a home and a farm and eventually makes friends with Renee Zellwegger who teaches her all of the skills she lacks. Through all of the pain and suffering, Inman does make it home, consummates his marriage to Ada, and believes he will be able to make a home for him and his wife. Tragically he is discovered as being a deserter and his basically hunted down and killed, dying in Ada’s arms. The most tragic part of this story is that he worked so hard to get back to her, risked everything for her, and they still will never be together. Even though Ada does conceive a child by Inman, I am still always left with a deep feeling of loss after watching this movie.
Steel Magnolias
Steel Magnolias is that classic movie people think of when you mention sad films. The story follows several Southern women and how their lives change over time, focusing mainly on Julia Robert’s character Shelby and her mother, played by Sally Field. There are many ups and downs throughout the film, the most upsetting and cry-worthy moment comes when Shelby dies from complications with Type I Diabetes and her mother’s reaction to it. When Sally Field stands in the graveyard crying and screaming and expressing the overwhelming feeling of loss over her daughter, I sob. If you need a good cry, this is definitely the movie to watch.
Marley And Me
This is by far the saddest and most upsetting movie I have ever seen. Maybe it is just because I am an animal lover, but at the end of the movie when they have to put Marley to sleep I was sobbing. My two daughters, ages 9 and 5, were both also crying. You develop a relationship with Marley, through his puppy years when he couldn’t do anything but get into trouble, all the way into his old age, where he had difficulty moving but still retained his spunk. This movie touches a special spot in anyone’s heart that has ever had a pet that can be a little difficult, but is so lovable just the same.
Each movie leaves you feeling loss and sadness, yet each one also leaves you with a message and makes you think. I would highly recommend each and every movie.
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