Sometimes it is best to cry out to purge the deepest of emotions. Often one of the saddest movies can heal a broken heart. These are the movies best enjoyed in solitude. The seemingly infinite repository of Netflix has got you covered when all you need is a good cry. And while there are plenty of worthy mentions, some stand out sharper than others. So here is a list of the saddest movies currently available on Netflix.
1. The Impossible (2012)
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- Director: J. A. Bayona and written by Sergio G. Sánche
- Writer: Sergio G. Sánchez
- Cast: Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland.
- IMDb Ratings: 7.6
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
It is always hard to sit through movies that deal with massive natural disasters. The Impossible tests the resolve of its viewers even further. The story of a family stuck in Thailand when a tsunami hits the country is earth-shattering. Witnessing the loss of human life on such a scale is borderline depressing.
2. All the Bright Places (2020)
Source: imdb.com
- Director: Brett Haley
- Writer: Jennifer Niven and Liz Hannah
- Cast: Elle Fanning, Justice Smith, Alexandra Shipp, Kelli O’Hara
- IMDb Ratings: 6.5
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 64%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Directors often find it hard to do justice to mental health issues. One film that does not fall into this pitfall is All the Bright Places. Telling the stories of two teens, the movie leads to a catharsis that is achieved through intense pain. The two find in each other hope and the ability to get over the traumas of their past.
3. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Source: imdb.com
- Director: Ang Lee
- Writer: Larry McMurtry
- Cast: Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway
- IMDb Ratings: 7.7
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The 2005 movie should be high on the list of everybody’s must-watch. Ang Lee beautifully captures the nuances of love in the relationship between two cowboys. However, the honesty in their emotions falls blank in front of the hard social structure they live in. With brilliant acting performances, the movie touches the deepest of chords.
4. Gran Torino (2008)
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- Director: Clint Eastwood
- Writer: Nick Schenk
- Cast: Clint Eastwood, Christopher Carley, Bee Vang
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
A fair warning: the movie is a tough watch. Not because of the acting or the script because they are both top-notch but for the film, asking pointed questions about racism and aggression. Most importantly, it is a story about human growth and is a remarkable chapter in Clint Eastwood’s glorious career.
5. Into the Wild (2007)
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- Director: Sean Penn
- Writer: Sean Penn
- Cast: Emile Hirsch, Marcia Gay Harden, Jena Malone
- IMDb Ratings: 8.1
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Into the Wild is not the massive tearjerker you might be looking for. However, the film succeeds in penetrating your heart and convincing the film’s genius in articulating emotions. The experiences of McCandless is equally parts inspirational and heartwrenching.
6. The Florida Project (2017)
Source: imdb.com
- Director: Sean Bake
- Writer: Sean Bake, ChrisBergoch
- Cast: Willem Dafoe, Brooklynn Prince, Bria Vinaite
- IMDb Ratings: 7.6
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 96%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
It is not difficult to identify what makes the movie so special. The face of poverty has rarely been explored to the degree that The Florida Project does. Complementing the brilliant screenplay is the sensational performances of William Defoe and Brooklynn Prince.
7. Fruitvale Station (2013)
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- Director: Ryan Coogler
- Writer: Ryan Coogler
- Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Kevin Durand, Chad Michael Murray
- IMDb Ratings: 7.5
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
America witnessed the death of Oscar Grant at the hands of a BART officer in 2009. Four years later Ryan Coogler, made the nation relive that horror in his brutally honest biopic. The film highlights the cracks in society and the pain of loss with his unique style.
8. Saving Mr. Banks (2013)
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- Director: John Lee Hancock
- Writer: Kelly Marcel and Sue Smith
- Cast: Emma Thompson, Tom Hanks, Colin Farrell
- IMDb Ratings: 7.3
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 79%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Saving Mr. Banks is one of those films that break your heart while filling it with joy at the same time. The story runs on two levels, but somewhere they meet, creating a heartfelt union of gain through loss. Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson steal the show with their acting performances, but they are only a small part of what makes the film so good.
9. Mudbound (2017)
Source: rogerebert.com
- Director: Dee Rees
- Writer: Dee Rees, Virgil Williams
- Cast: Carey Mulligan, Garrett Hedlund, Jason Clarke
- IMDb Ratings: 7.4
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 97%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Like so many films on this list, Mudbound stands out because of the complexities it deals with. While telling the story about “The Greatest Generation,” the movie speaks out against PTSD and racism the veterans faced in society. The truth in its depiction might be too hard to stomach for some, which is exactly why it needs to be watched.
10. Holding the Man (2015)
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- Director: Neil Armfield
- Writer: Tommy Murphy
- Cast: Ryan Corr, Craig Stott, Guy Pearce
- IMDb Ratings: 7.4
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 81%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The story challenges the social taboos of human relations. Despite facing damnation, Tim and Ryan stick it out, riding the tides together. It is not smooth sailing for them, but they discover the true meaning of love in their bickerings and smiles.
11. First They Killed My Father (2017)
Source: medium.com
- Director: Angelina Jolie
- Writer: Angelina Jolie ,Loung Ung
- Cast: SreymochSareum, KompheakPhoeung
- IMDb Ratings: 7.2
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
It will be a serious mistake to give this film a skip. Based on Loung Ung’s memoirs, the film shows the realities of life in Cambodia during the Khmer regime. Human exploitation, forced labor, violence are only a few themes that the film explores. The wide palette of human experiences of this era is bound to leave audiences scarred.
12. Moonlight (2016)
Source: rogerebert.com
- Director: Barry Jenkins
- Writer: Barry Jenkins
- Cast: Trevante Rhodes, André Holland, Janelle Monáe
- IMDb Ratings: 7.4
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 98%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
Moonlight is a story of learning and self-discovery. The Academy Award-winning movie chronicles three stages of the life of its protagonist- Chiron. Moonlight explores the question of sexuality and selfhood in a torn environment in a way like never before. Chiron understands the world he lives in through his experiences in his communities and takes along the audience in that journey.
13. The Pianist (2002)
Source: imdb.com
- Director: Roman Polanski
- Writer: Ronald Harwood
- Cast: Adrien Brody, Thomas Kretschmann , Frank Finlay
- IMDb Ratings: 8.5
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The film that won Adrien Brody, his Oscar, is chilling to the bone. The movie, with vivid details, traces the hardships faced by Jews in Warsaw during the Nazi regime. While the suffering is hard to gulp down, the film is also a beacon of hope. For even in the worst moments of human history, humanity never ceases to exist.
14. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
Source: netflix.com
- Director: Steven Spielberg
- Writer: Robert Rodat
- Cast: Tom Hanks, Edward Burns, Matt Damon
- IMDb Ratings: 8.6
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The film hosts some of the realistic battle scenes during the D-Day. At the same time, the film’s ending is one of the most gut-wrenching you are ever likely to witness. The film shows the brutality of war in lucid terms and makes one grateful for the sacrifices of millions of soldiers on the field of war.
15. To the Bone (2017)
Source: rogerebert.com
- Director: Marti Noxon
- Writer: Marti Noxon
- Cast: Lily Collins, Keanu Reeves, Carrie Preston
- IMDb Ratings: 6.8
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 71%
- Streaming Platform: Netflix
The path towards self-acceptance is often the most difficult to walk on. Ellen discovers that herself through series of setbacks on this road. Through her doctor’s help, she battles her inner demons and wins in this moving and earnest tale.
Netflix can always be relied upon never to disappoint its subscribers. The streaming giants have got you covered for all your moods. And the above list will give you a plentiful idea about the kind of movie you wish to see. All of these movies are great watches and probably will do a great job.
