7 Tragic Movies That Will Break Your Heart ...

By Laura

I’ve never really understood why I am attracted to tragic movies. They always make me cry, and I sit through each one of them knowing what the ending is, but wishing for it to be different anyway. I guess that is what makes tragic movies a bit cathartic. It lets us release those pent up emotions that are bubbling away inside us. If you’re ready to bawl like a maniac, I have some great suggestions.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Please subscribe for your personalized newsletter:

1

Seven Pounds

My friends spent years trying to coax me into watching this. I love Will Smith, but for some reason I’ve never wanted to see him in tragic movies. In this film, he plays a man who feels the need to atone for an accident he caused. I won’t give away too much, but it is seriously sad.

2

Titanic

Okay, we all know the drill with this one. Rose meets Jack, Jack gets looked down on by her snobby family, and then Rose leaves him to turn into an icicle in the North Atlantic. Even though I know what will happen, I sit and pray for the ending to be different. What really gets me is the mother reading a story to her children as the ship goes down. Sob.

3

The Notebook

This isn’t one of those films I’ve ever wanted to see more than once. The Notebook tells the story of a man named Duke who is thinking back on when he first met the love of his wife. It’s a bit of a Romeo and Juliet/Pride and Prejudice style theme. If you’re seriously soppy, I think you’ll love it.

4

Armageddon

I’ll never get over Bruce Willis’ death in this. But then doesn’t he die in just about all his films? Armageddon is the end of the world film to end all end of the world films. That sad little image of Liv Tyler ready to cry as she realizes she’s lost someone always gets me.

5

The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas

This film quite literally sent shivers down my spine when I watched it. As cheesy as this sounds, I really love how it highlights how children are not prejudiced. It focuses on the unique relationship between the son of an SS guard and his friend who he meets over the fence of a concentration camp. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but it’s shockingly sad.

Famous Quotes

Love is like a friendship caught on fire. In the beginning a flame, very pretty, often hot and fierce, but still only light and flickering. As love grows older, our hearts mature and our love becomes as coals, deep-burning and unquenchable.

Bruce Lee
6

The Life of David Gale

I first watched this in my teens, courtesy of my mum. As always Kate Winslett plays a character it is easy to empathise with. It focuses on the story of a man who is facing death row for killing a colleague. Again, I don’t want to give the ending away, but Kate Winslett’s performance is that spectacular you will find it hard not to well up!

7

Lovely Bones

And finally, the Lovely Bones as a film really brought the book to life for me. I don’t know whether this is a parental empathy thing, but the range of emotions I feel as I watch the dad fall apart in this film is terrifying! It tells the story of a girl trying to help her family find her killer following her death. I highly recommend reading the book too!

So those are my tragic movie recommendations! Sometimes it is nice to just sit down, feel sad for a couple of hours, and then go out and be happy again. We all have different standards when it comes to ‘tragic’ though. With that in mind, what are your favorite tragic movies?

Feedback Junction

Where Thoughts and Opinions Converge

Holocaust movies are so sad to me. They hit home a little too hard.

My girl - the scene with "where's his glasses, he can't see without his glasses" always breaks me down

@Swati, he is, but we first meet him as Duke and no one knows he's Noah until the end...If you've never watched the movie this sorta gives it away..

Letters to God is also amazing. I cried so hard.

Now these movies are on my 'yet to watch' list... Thanks.. Just a note.. The man in movie The Notebook is Noah not Duke..

SEVEN POUNDS IS THE BEST. I seriously love that movie. I know it's not the typical choice for a "favorite movie" since it is so tragic but it is my absolute FAV.

Titaniiiic

The Boy in Striped PJs broke my heart

I recommend "Life is Beautiful", it has humor and a bit of sadness but the only down side is it in Italian... But it's still worth it in subtitles.

Related Topics

harrison ford best films new fairytale movies movies that relate to psychology john candy best movie why did i get married the play fmovies what movies did drew barrymore play in anne hathaway early movies you turn movie life beautiful movie movies to watch with girl friends

Popular Now