My Tentative List of All-Time Tearjerker Movies
Posted on Thursday, June 3rd, 2010
Bring out the tissues! When it comes to a movie that shows cruelty to animals, the death of a pet, war, or someone losing their battle with an incurable disease – I am inconsolable. There are a lot of movies that have me in tears, but here are the first 8 that come to my mind:
Turner & Hooch (1989) – Tom Hanks and a slobbery pooch team up to solve the murder of the dog’s owner and let’s just say, the ending has me in tears.
Project X (1987) – When the monkey saves the day and tries to claim his cigarette reward from Matthew Broderick through a glass window before he is radiated, I always cry.
Beaches (1988) – It wasn’t the “Wind Beneath My Wings” that got me in this Bette Midler/Barbara Hershey movie. It was their time on the beach that had me bawling, as we see the frustration of a mother realizing she wouldn’t get a chance to see her daughter grow up unfold.
Steel Magnolias (1989) – An all-star cast featuring Olympia Dukakis, Shirley MacClaine, Dolly Parton, Julia Roberts, and Tom Skerritt has endless laughs, even though tragedy lurks around the corner. By the way, I love Sally Field! Her meltdown towards the end of the movie is touching and relentlessly tugs at the heartstrings.
Tears of the Sun (2003) – This Bruce Willis flick sees him commanding a band of soldiers through the jungles of Nigeria – guiding men, women and children (many of which are old, sick, and wounded) to safety, while a sadistic militant is fast on their trail. As Willis loses his men and the villagers fight for their lives, it’s heart wrenching.
The Neverending Story (1984) – If you’ve ever seen this tale of fantasy, then you already know of a character called the Rock Man. As a child, he has a scene that still touches my heart as an adult. There is also a scene with the main character’s horse that also brings on the water works.
My Sister’s Keeper (2009) – The movie that centers on childhood sickness and parents devoted to saving the life of their daughter offers surprising twists and is in my opinion, one of Cameron Diaz’s best acting jobs. Before you learn the true beauty of the plot, you’ll going to cry at least once.
Marley & Me (2008) – The movie is banned in my house, that’s all I have to say – and I don’t know how little kids can get through it either. I don’t take too kindly to drawn out sad scenes, especially when dogs are involved.
Newly Added
The Notebook (2004), Sweet November (2001), Titanic (1997), Autumn in New York (2000), What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), My Girl (1991)
Great post. I will read your posts frequently. Added you to the RSS reader.
The movie Jack always makes me cry.
the notebook is always one, but i watched my sisters keeper the other day and cried my eyes out
oh keep thinking of more what about ET and titanic and NIGHTS IN RODANTHE maybe i am just a big sap lol
Oooo Stacey…good ones – I completely forgot about Titantic!!!! Haven’t seen Nights in Rodanthe yet.
How could I forget the Notebook!!!! That was such a good movie!
Haven’t seen Jack yet, Deb, but now I’m interested!
E.T oldie but when E.T. finally goes home and has to say goodbye to Elliot makes me cry every time
I remember an oldie called Where the Red Fern Grows.What a sad movie and Beaches.
Beaches does make me cry. But I’m going back real far, Love Story is the ultimate tear jerker!
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All your newly added movies….The Notebook (2004), Sweet November (2001), Titanic (1997), Autumn in New York (2000), What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), were definite tear jerkers for me.
I really want to see My Sisters Keeper.
Thanks for sharing.
By far…every time I watch the Notebook…I am crying my eyes out. My boyfirend …just doesn’t get it.
OMG – worst one ever…MY GIRL.
“Where are his glasses? He can’t see without his glasses!” Don’t tell, but this one even had my big tough guy in tears.
Steel Magnolias was definitely a tear jerker…
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@Sam Had to add ‘My Girl’ to the big list….that was a very sad part. I loved her poem at the end of the movie!
@Benita Ya know what…I’ve never seen ‘Love Story’ but I heard it’s an infamous tearjerker!
My Sister’s Keeper and Blindside – they both make me cry like a big baby! Really good movies!
Blindside was a tearjerker. It had a good ending though and turned out to be a real feel-good flick. I thought Sandra Bullock did really well in it!
Terms of Endearment kills me
Titantic, Tearms of Endearment, Love Story
Maybe not my ‘top’ tearjerker but one that gets me is ‘the lovely bones’, it’s a difficult movie for me to watch and not get emotional.
i agree! Terms of Endearment is a tearjerker.