18 Best Sad Movies That Are Worth the Cry

By Vlad Zakh · August 21, 2026

United States Drama sad

These aren’t films for torturing yourself, they’re the ones where the sadness is earned and sticks with you afterwards. A Monster Calls is an underrated, moving film about childhood grief, Old Yeller is the original warn-your-friends family film, Never Let Me Go is quiet, restrained and one of the saddest you’ll rarely hear mentioned, and Life Is Beautiful manages warmth and devastation in one story. The Green Mile, Titanic, Schindler’s List, Up, The Pursuit of Happyness, Room and Blue Valentine round out the list.

A Monster Calls (2016)

01

A Monster Calls (2016)

TMDB ★ 7.5

A boy coping with his mother's terminal illness is visited by a tree monster who tells him hard truths.

Directed by J. A. Bayona · 1h 48m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Old Yeller (1957)

02

Old Yeller (1957)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A stray dog's devotion to a frontier family is tested when tragedy strikes their Texas homestead.

Directed by Robert Stevenson · 1h 24m · Rated G

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Never Let Me Go (2010)

03

Never Let Me Go (2010)

TMDB ★ 7.1

Three childhood friends raised at an isolated boarding school slowly learn the tragic purpose for which they exist.

Directed by Mark Romanek · 1h 44m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, Amazon Prime Video with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Life Is Beautiful (1997)

04

Life Is Beautiful (1997)

IMDb ★ 8.6 RT 80% Metacritic 58

A Jewish father uses humour and imagination to shield his young son from the horrors of a concentration camp.

Directed by Roberto Benigni · 1h 56m · Rated PG-13

Won 3 Oscars72 wins & 52 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: fuboTV, MGM+ Amazon Channel, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Philo, Paramount+ Amazon Channel · Rent: JustWatch TV, Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Green Mile (1999)

05

The Green Mile (1999)

IMDb ★ 8.6 RT 78% Metacritic 61

A death row prison guard witnesses miraculous events around a gentle inmate convicted of a brutal crime.

Directed by Frank Darabont · 3h 09m · Rated R

Nominated for 4 Oscars15 wins & 37 nominations

Where to watch

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

Titanic (1997)

06

Titanic (1997)

IMDb ★ 8.0 RT 88% Metacritic 75

A doomed shipboard romance set against history's most famous maritime disaster.

Directed by James Cameron · 3h 14m · Rated PG-13

Won 11 Oscars126 wins & 84 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, YouTube TV, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Starz Apple TV channel · 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

Schindler's List (1993)

07

Schindler's List (1993)

IMDb ★ 9.0 RT 98% Metacritic 95

Essential and difficult, and still one of the most important films ever made.

Directed by Steven Spielberg · 3h 15m · Rated R

Won 7 Oscars91 wins & 49 nominations

Where to watch

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

Up (2009)

08

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

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

09

The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

TMDB ★ 8.0

Earns its ending through everything that comes before it.

Directed by Gabriele Muccino · 1h 57m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Angel Studios · 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

Room (2015)

10

Room (2015)

IMDb ★ 8.1 RT 93% Metacritic 86

A young mother and her son, raised in captivity, must adjust to life after their escape.

Directed by Lenny Abrahamson · 1h 58m · Rated R

Won 1 Oscar108 wins & 143 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: HBO Max Amazon Channel, Cinemax Amazon Channel, HBO Max, Cinemax Apple TV channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Blue Valentine (2010)

11

Blue Valentine (2010)

TMDB ★ 7.4

A couple's early romance and their marriage's collapse are told side by side.

Directed by Derek Cianfrance · 1h 52m · Rated R

Where to watch

Stream: Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount+ Amazon Channel, Paramount+ Roku Premium Channel, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel · Rent: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home, FlixFling · Buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

12

The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

IMDb ★ 7.6 RT 81% Metacritic 69

Two teenagers with cancer fall in love knowing exactly how limited their time is.

Directed by Josh Boone · 2h 06m · Rated PG-13

23 wins & 18 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Disney Plus · 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

A Walk to Remember (2002)

13

A Walk to Remember (2002)

TMDB ★ 7.3

A rebellious teenager falls for a classmate who is hiding a terminal illness.

Directed by Adam Shankman · 1h 42m · Rated PG

Where to watch

Stream: Shout! Factory Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

My Sister's Keeper (2009)

14

My Sister's Keeper (2009)

TMDB ★ 7.2

A girl conceived to be a genetic match for her dying sister sues her parents for the rights to her own body.

Directed by Nick Cassavetes · 1h 49m · Rated PG-13

Where to watch

Stream: Hallmark+ Amazon Channel, Hallmark+ Apple TV channel, Hallmark TV Amazon Channel · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Marley & Me (2008)

15

Marley & Me (2008)

TMDB ★ 7.1

A family's chaotic, beloved dog ages alongside every milestone in their lives.

Directed by David Frankel · 1h 55m · Rated PG

Where to watch

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

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

16

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

IMDb ★ 8.3 RT 80% Metacritic 71

Four Coney Island residents' addictions spiral into devastating, interconnected ruin.

Directed by Darren Aronofsky · 1h 42m · Rated NR

Nominated for 1 Oscar37 wins & 69 nominations

Where to watch

Stream: Peacock Premium, Sundance Now, Lionsgate+ Amazon Channel, Peacock Premium Plus · Rent or buy: Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home

▶ Trailer Letterboxd

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

17

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

TMDB ★ 7.8

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

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

18

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

IMDb ★ 8.5 RT 100% Metacritic 94

Two siblings struggle to survive in Japan during the final devastating months of the Second World War.

Directed by Isao Takahata · 1h 29m · Rated NR

3 wins

Where to watch

Stream: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads · Rent or buy: Amazon Video

▶ 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.