6 Best Widow and Widower Starting Over Movies

By Vlad Zakh · June 19, 2026

Drama emotionalfeel good

The difficult, tender journey of rebuilding a life after losing a spouse has powered some of cinema’s most moving dramas and heartfelt comedies.

A Man Called Otto (2022) 01

A Man Called Otto (2022)

IMDb ★ 7.7

A grumpy, grieving widower's plans to end his life are repeatedly interrupted by his lively new neighbors.

Manchester by the Sea (2016) 02

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

IMDb ★ 7.5

A withdrawn man returns to his hometown to care for his nephew after his brother's death, forcing him to confront a devastating past loss.

Up (2009) 03

Up (2009)

IMDb ★ 8.0

A grieving widower ties thousands of balloons to his house to fulfill a lifelong promise to his late wife.

Return to Me (2000) 04

Return to Me (2000)

IMDb ★ 6.7

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

About Schmidt (2002) 05

About Schmidt (2002)

IMDb ★ 6.9

A recently widowed, newly retired man embarks on a cross-country road trip to reckon with his unfulfilling life.

Sleepless in Seattle (1993) 06

Sleepless in Seattle (1993)

IMDb ★ 6.7

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

Vlad Zakh

Vlad Zakh

Founder, Movieix

Founder of Movieix, built to fix a specific annoyance: most recommendation sites are just algorithm-driven noise. Our lists are researched and organized by who's in a film, where it's from, and the mood you're actually in tonight.