Sometimes, you just need a movie that lets you cry your heart out. These films have earned a reputation for doing exactly that. Whenever your emotions need an outlet, this is the ultimate watchlist to turn to.
Whether it is heartbreaking romance, bittersweet friendship, or devastating loss, these timeless classics have spent years leaving us in tears – and somehow still becoming our ultimate comfort watches. Here are the top 10 most tearjerker movies of all time to watch.
10. E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Steven Spielberg’s filmography is filled with plenty of devastating films, but we will always remember bawling our eyes out as kids to ‘E.T.’ Beneath its magical sci-fi adventure, after all, there is a surprisingly melancholy tale of loneliness and friendship.
Elliot and E.T.’s bond remains one of cinema’s most touching relationships, always occupying a special place in our hearts. When E.T. gently points his glowing finger toward Elliot and says, “I’ll be right here,” it’s impossible not to cry.
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9. Casablanca (1942)
Few films define bittersweet romances quite like ‘Casablanca’. Much of its emotional impact comes from the fact that it isn’t always sad. Instead, there are witty, exciting and undeniably charming moments.
But that only contributes to the build-up to its heartbreaking finale. Rick and Ilsa’s unexpected reunion rekindles a timeless connection, only for circumstances to force on them an impossible choice.
8. Up (2009)
This will forever remain iconic for that notorious opening montage following Carl and Ellie through decades of marriage to set up Carl’s lonely present setting. What follows is a deeply realistic portrayal of love, loss, and grief that has left generations of viewers in tears.
The fact that it is a children’s movie would have you expecting it to be much lighter, though that only backfires to show how devastating just a simple and grounded exploration of life can be.
7. The Colour Purple (1985)
There is hardly a moment in ‘The Colour Purple’ where you aren’t crying your eyes out. From Celie’s life of constant abuse to the broader story of the hardship endured by Black women, the film is filled with heartbreaking moments.
What really hits you the most is the way hope, resilience, and sisterhood carry the narrative. Whoopi Goldberg, Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Avery, and the outstanding ensemble cast bring Alice Walker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel to life with extraordinary depth.
6. Atonement (2007)
This one chronicles the devastating consequences of a false accusation across six decades. The story begins when 13-year-old Briony wrongly accuses the housekeeper’s son, Robbie, of a crime he didn’t commit, sending him to prison before he is drafted into World War II.
With its carefully layered storytelling and that final revelation, the film builds towards one of the most heartbreaking endings in modern cinema. Tears are inevitable with every rewatch of ‘Atonement’.
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5. The Notebook (2004)
Another timeless tearjerker that never fails to take you to the happiest emotional highs before leaving you with a soul-crushing, devastating ending. The story of Noah and Allie in the 1940s, as they fall for each other only to find their relationship torn apart by family expectations and circumstances, might sound like the usual cheesy trope for romance dramas.
But the way their love spans over the decades is where the movie gets you every single time. ‘The Notebook’ is the classic movie we will always turn to whenever we need a good cathartic release.
4. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Ang Lee never fails to create a movie that is beautiful yet leaves you devastated. ‘Brokeback Mountain’ remains one of the most heartbreaking love stories of all time. The two cowboys find their romance unfold across years, only for it to be torn apart by expectations of the world around them.
They try to build separate lives, while never really forgetting each other. By the end, you are so connected to the characters that the tragic ending that results from prejudice, bigotry, and hate lingers long after the credits roll out.
3. Sophie’s Choice (1982)
Few films have left the devastating legacy in pop culture that we got from ‘Sophie’s Choice’. Set in the aftermath of World War II, the Holocaust drama follows Sophie, a Polish immigrant haunted by the unimaginable horrors she had to endure in a concentration camp.
The impossible decision that Sophie faces leaves even the viewers in torment. Meryl Streep delivers her extraordinary, Oscar-winning performance that is the nail in the coffin in this heartbreaking movie.
2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)
Don’t be fooled by ‘The Shawshank Redemption’s gripping prison drama premise because beneath it all lies one of the most emotional stories about hope, friendship and freedom. Andy Dufresne finds himself sentenced to life for a crime he never committed.
Over the next two decades, he survives through unimaginable hardships and creates an unforgettable bond. Years of quiet resilience and that final emotional payoff are utterly tragic and somehow uplifting at the same time.
1. Titanic (1997)
No movie has become quite as synonymous with tragic heartbreak as ‘Titanic’. James Cameron’s epic romance follows Rose and Jack, the two young star-crossed lovers who find a deep connection against all odds.
Though that isn’t enough to save them from their voyage’s fate. From the aesthetic to its emotional storytelling and that unforgettable ending, every part of this movie is simply timeless and continues to leave us in tears.
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