6 Best Widow and Widower Starting Over Movies

By Vlad Zakh · June 19, 2026

Rebuilding a life after losing a spouse is difficult and tender. A Man Called Otto has a grumpy widower’s plans interrupted by lively new neighbors, Manchester by the Sea has a withdrawn man caring for his nephew, and Up has a widower floating his house away on balloons. Return to Me, About Schmidt and Sleepless in Seattle round out the six.

A Man Called Otto (2022)

TMDB ★ 7.7

A grumpy, grieving widower's plan to end his life keeps being interrupted by his lively new neighbours.

Directed by Marc Forster · 2h 06m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Hulu, fuboTV, YouTube TV · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

TMDB ★ 7.5

Grief handled with restraint instead of melodrama, which makes it land harder.

Directed by Kenneth Lonergan · 2h 18m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Up (2009)

IMDb ★ 8.3 RT 98% Metacritic 88

A grieving widower ties thousands of balloons to his house to fulfil a lifelong promise of adventure.

Directed by Pete Docter · 1h 36m · Rated PG

Won 2 Oscars81 wins & 88 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Return to Me (2000)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A grieving widower unknowingly falls for the woman who received his late wife's heart transplant.

Directed by Bonnie Hunt · 1h 56m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Philo, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus · Rent: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Spectrum On Demand, Plex · Buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

About Schmidt (2002)

TMDB ★ 6.9

A newly retired, widowed insurance actuary questions the meaning of his life on a road trip.

Directed by Alexander Payne · 2h 05m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: The Roku Channel, Howdy Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

TMDB ★ 6.7

A widower's heartfelt radio call about his late wife captures the attention of a woman across the country.

Directed by Nora Ephron · 1h 45m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, MGM Plus Roku Premium Channel, MGM Plus, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Streaming availability data from JustWatch, via TMDB. Availability changes often, so check the service before you plan a movie night.

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix. He started the site because most recommendation pages felt like noise. Here, lists are sorted by who's in the film, where it's from and what mood you're in tonight.

6 Best Widow and Widower Starting Over Movies

A Man Called Otto (2022)

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Up (2009)

Return to Me (2000)

About Schmidt (2002)

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

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