Sad Movies That Will Make You Cry: Best Tearjerkers to Stream
There is something cathartic about a movie that makes you cry. A good sob can be surprisingly therapeutic — it releases tension, processes emotions, and reminds us that we are human. Whether you are grieving, stressed, or just in the mood for an emotional release, these are the best sad movies currently streaming. We have organized them by the kind of heartbreak they deliver, so you can choose exactly how destroyed you want to be.
Family Drama: Prepare for Ugly Crying
These films center on family relationships — parents and children, siblings, the bonds that define us. The tears here come from recognition.
Hamnet (2025)
Jessie Buckley won the Best Actress Oscar for her role as Agnes Shakespeare, the wife of William Shakespeare, whose world shatters when their 11-year-old son Hamnet dies. Chloé Zhao directs with such tenderness that every scene feels like a wound. Paul Mescal plays William with a quiet desperation, and the film asks a devastating question: what happens to a marriage when the worst thing imaginable occurs? The answer will leave you sobbing.
The most critically acclaimed tearjerker of 2025. Buckley and Mescal are extraordinary. Based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel.
Goodbye June (2025)
Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, and Toni Collette star as three generations of women gathered around the matriarch's hospital bed. It is a raw, unflinching look at grief, complicated family dynamics, and the tenderness of saying goodbye. Every performance is awards-worthy, and the script gives each character a moment to break your heart.
Three legendary actresses at their peak. Bring an entire box of tissues.
Marriage Story (2019)
Noah Baumbach's masterpiece about a couple (Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson) navigating a coast-to-coast divorce is one of the most emotionally accurate films ever made about love ending. The fight scene is legendary — you will watch it through your fingers. Laura Dern won an Oscar for her supporting role. It is brutal, beautiful, and ultimately hopeful.
The most honest divorce movie ever made. That fight scene alone is worth the emotional damage.
Romance: Heartbreak and Star-Crossed Love
Love stories that end badly, or beautifully, or both. These romances will have you reaching for the tissues.
Atonement (2007)
The most devastating romance in modern cinema. Keira Knightley and James McAvoy play lovers separated by a lie told by a jealous little girl. The film features a five-minute Dunkirk beach tracking shot that is one of cinema's great technical achievements, and an ending so cruel it will leave you angry. "I will return, find you, love you, marry you, and live without shame." Spoiler: it does not work out.
The ending is one of the most heartbreaking in all of cinema. You will think about it for days.
The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
Just returned to Netflix in June 2026! The adaptation of John Green's bestseller about two teenage cancer patients who fall in love. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort have incredible chemistry, and the film earns every tear. Yes, you know what is coming. No, it does not make it any easier. "Okay? Okay."
The definitive modern teen tearjerker. Returned to Netflix June 1, 2026. Stock up on tissues.
Titanic (1997)
You know the story. You know the ending. You still cry when Jack sinks into the Atlantic. James Cameron's epic romance remains the gold standard for big-screen love stories, and it holds up remarkably well. Leo and Kate have never been better, the ship is magnificent, and Celine Dion's "My Heart Will Go On" still hits like a freight train.
The most successful tearjerker ever made. 11 Oscars. Jack not fitting on that door still haunts us all.
Loss and Grief: The Deepest Wounds
These films explore grief in all its forms — losing a partner, a parent, a child, or yourself.
Pieces of a Woman (2020)
Vanessa Kirby gives one of the greatest performances of the decade as a woman whose home birth ends in tragedy. The first 30 minutes — featuring a single 24-minute continuous shot of the birth — is one of the most harrowing sequences ever filmed. The rest of the movie follows her grief through the following year. Kirby was robbed of the Oscar.
The single most devastating opening of any film in recent memory. Kirby is extraordinary.
Manchester by the Sea (2016)
Casey Affleck won a well-deserved Oscar as Lee Chandler, a janitor who must return to his hometown after his brother's death to care for his teenage nephew. The film is a masterclass in understated grief — the famous police station scene where Lee tries to take his own life is one of cinema's most devastating moments. The answer to the question "Can you ever recover from tragedy?" is a heartbreaking "no."
The most accurate portrayal of grief in any film. Affleck and Michelle Williams in that street scene — impossible to forget.
All of Us Strangers (2023)
Andrew Scott gives the performance of his career as a screenwriter who visits his childhood home and finds his parents (Jamie Bell and Claire Foy) still alive — even though they died 30 years earlier. It is a ghost story, a love story, and a grief story all at once. The final act is devastating in ways you cannot prepare for. Paul Mescal co-stars as his love interest.
The ending will shatter you completely. One of the most emotionally intelligent films about grief ever made.
Inspirational Tearjerkers
These films make you cry because they are beautiful, hopeful, and remind you of the goodness in people.
The Wild Robot (2024)
Yes, an animated film about a robot and a goose made this list. DreamWorks' Oscar-winning film follows Roz, a robot who washes up on an island and must learn to survive. She adopts an orphaned gosling named Brightbill, and their bond is one of the most moving parent-child relationships in any film. The ending — without spoiling it — is a masterpiece of emotional payoff.
98% RT, Oscar winner. If you do not cry when Roz teaches Brightbill to fly, you may not have a heart.
CODA (2021)
The Best Picture winner about Ruby, the only hearing member of a Deaf family who wants to pursue singing. The film builds to a moment where Ruby signs her song to her family — and they cannot hear it, but they feel it. It is one of the most beautiful scenes in modern cinema. You will be crying happy tears for the entire final act.
Best Picture winner. The signing scene is one of cinema's great emotional climaxes. Happy tears guaranteed.
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind (2019)
Chiwetel Ejiofor's directorial debut tells the true story of a 13-year-old Malawian boy who builds a windmill from scrap to save his village from famine. It is not a sad film per se — it is inspiring — but the stakes are so high and the boy's determination so moving that you will be in tears by the time the windmill turns.
A different kind of tearjerker — one born from hope, not tragedy. Inspiring beyond measure.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the saddest movie on Netflix right now?
Atonement (2007) is arguably the most devastating film currently on Netflix. The ending is so cruel that it has left audiences angry for two decades. For a newer option, Hamnet (2025) won Jessie Buckley her Oscar and is a gut-wrenching exploration of a mother's grief. Goodbye June (2025) with Helen Mirren, Kate Winslet, and Toni Collette is also a brutal family drama. For an animated tearjerker, The Wild Robot (2024) will make you cry regardless of your age.
What are the best sad romance movies on Netflix?
The Fault in Our Stars (2014) just returned to Netflix on June 1, 2026, and remains the definitive teen cancer romance tearjerker. Titanic (1997) is a classic that still works. Atonement (2007) is the most devastating romance on the platform — the less you know going in, the more it will destroy you. If you want something newer, All of Us Strangers (2023) is on HBO Max and is a heart-wrenching ghost-love story.
What is the best movie to watch when you need to cry?
It depends on what kind of cry you need. For an ugly, cathartic sob: Pieces of a Woman (Netflix) — the first 30 minutes are traumatic. For a quiet, reflective cry: Manchester by the Sea (Prime Video). For happy tears: CODA (Netflix). For romantic devastation: Titanic (Netflix) or Atonement (Netflix). For a cry about the beauty of existence: The Wild Robot (Netflix).
Are there any sad movies on HBO Max?
Yes, HBO Max has several excellent tearjerkers. All of Us Strangers (2023, 96% RT) is one of the most devastating films of the decade. Manchester by the Sea (2016, 96% RT) is available to rent on Prime but often cycles through HBO. Titanic and Atonement are currently on Netflix. For HBO Max originals, check out The Last of Us (series) which is emotionally brutal in the best way.
What is a good movie to watch when you are grieving?
Three recommendations depending on where you are in the process: Goodbye June (Netflix) — about a family gathered around a dying matriarch, it validates every feeling you might have. All of Us Strangers (HBO Max) — explores grief for parents you lost long ago, with a surreal, beautiful tenderness. The Wild Robot (Netflix) — surprisingly, this animated film about a robot learning to love and let go is one of the best films ever made about parenthood and loss. Be kind to yourself and have tissues ready.
Need Something Brighter After All That Crying?
After you have emptied your tear ducts, we have the perfect palette cleanser: our guide to the best feel-good movies on Netflix. From heartwarming comedies to uplifting dramas, these films are guaranteed to put the smile back on your face.