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Sometimes there’s nothing more satisfying than a good cry, and that time is almost always when we’re watching movies. It’s probably why Nicole Kidman says in those AMC ads that “Somehow, heartbreak feels good in a place like this.”
But in our opinion, heartbreak might feel just a bit better at home, you know, where nobody who bought a ticket is having their experience ruined by our sobbing. And where there are Kleenex.
Enter Netflix. The platform has an unparalleled number of the world’s best sad movies, from classic tearjerkers to the sort that just creep up on you, and even a few that might make you laugh so hard that you weep. (Also, if you sit through the same sad movie over and over again in the theater, people worry; if you do it at home, no problem).
But which films should you turn on when you’re looking for a good cry? Below, our list of the most essential sad movies currently streaming on Netflix. If you were looking for something heartbreaking to watch, this just might be your happy ending.
1
The Notebook
This romantic classic—which recently won over a whole new set of fans when it became a Broadway musical—is one of the saddest movies on Netflix. Based on the novel by Nicholas Sparks, the film stars Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams, and tells the story of a young couple who fall in love in the 1940s through the lens of an older man reading the story from a notebook to a resident in a nursing home. Have you seen it before? Perhaps. Will you cry anyway? Absolutely.
2
Worth
Attorney Kenneth Feinberg (played Michael Keaton) is put in charge of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, and is faced with navigating a system that asks him to put a value on each of the lives lost in the terrorist attack. The film, based on Feinberg's memoir, is written by Max Borenstein and directed by Sara Colangelo and serves as a heartbreaking reminder of what we can mean to one another and the true value of a life.
3
tick, tick... BOOM!
The on-screen story of Jonathan Larson—the real-life creator of the hit musical Rent—is plenty affecting. The film depicting it (writen by Steven Levenson, based on a musical by Larson, and directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda) deals with the struggles Larson (played by Andrew Garfield) faces both professionally and personally, dealing tenderly with the frustrations of trying to make your voice heard and of trying to find your place in the world. Compounding the grief is the fact that the real Larson died at age 35, on the day of the first Off-Broadway preview performance of what would become his most acclaimed work.
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4
Pieces of a Woman
This film, written by Kata Wéber and direcoted by Kornél Mundruczó, depicts the heartbreaking grief one woman (Vanessa Kirby) is left with after a home birth ends in devastation. Pieces of a Woman tells the harrowing story of the aftermath and the impact on her relationships with her family and partner, played by Shia LaBeouf. Don't think that you'll be alone in being affected by Kirby's stunning turn; the role earned her an Oscar nomination.
5
Beasts of No Nation
Directed by Cary Joji f*ckunaga, Beasts of No Nation follows a young West African boy, Agu, who is forced become a child soldier when civil war breaks out in his country. The film is based on a novel of the same name by Uzodinma Iweala, and stars Idris Elba and Abraham Attah. Beast made quite an impact upon release: Elba was nominated for both a BAFTA and a Golden Globe, and won a Screen Actors Guild award for his part, and and movie itself picked up a Peabody Award.
6
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
This historical romantic film—starring Lily James, Michiel Huisman, GLen Powell, and Kit Connor, among others—is based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows. The film follows writer Juliet Ashton (James) as she learns about a remarkable group of people on the island of Guernsey who resisted German occupation during World War II by forming a book club—and, naturally, finds herself tangled up with them and turning her own life upside down in the process.
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7
Tell Me Who I Am
This true story is as heartbreaking as it is terrifying. After a motorcycle accident, Alex's memory is erased. His twin brother Marcus becomes a historian of sorts, telling Alex the story of their lives. The film depicts Marcus grappling with whether his brother is better off not remembering certain details of his past.
8
Kodachrome
As the era of Kodachrome film processing comes to an end, Matt, a music-industry hot shot on the verge of losing his job, must reunite with his estranged father, a famous photographer who doesn't have long left to live, on a roadtrip to develop his final rolls of Kodachrome film and attempt to salvage their strained relationship. Kodachrome stars Jason Sudeikis, Ed Harris, and Elizabeth Olsen.
9
Irreplaceable You
Sometimes a predictable tearjerking is just what you need. In this movie, written by Bess Wohl and directed by Stephanie Laing, Abbie (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Sam (Michiel Huisman) have been best friends since childhood, and are now engaged to be married. When Abbie is diagnosed with a terminal cancer, she decides to find a new love for Sam before she dies. Along the way, she makes friends with other cancer patients, including one played by Christopher Walken.
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10
All Together Now
In this screen adaption of Matthew Quick's novel Sorta Like a Rockstar, Amber Appleton (Auli’i Cravalho) is invited to audition for the drama program at Carnegie Mellon University, but her life is falling apart and she and her mother are temporarily homeless. She tries to navigate all the obstacles in her path—including trouble with friends, disagreements with her mother, and mounting expenses—to varying degrees of success. The film ends up telling a touching story about loyalty, love, and learning to ask for help.
11
All the Bright Places
Based on the best-selling novel by Jennifer Niven, this 2020 movie, directed by Brett Haley, explores how a budding romance between two teenagers (Elle Fanning and Justice Smith) is impacted by both of their traumas and mental health.
12
The Fundamentals of Caring
A comedy written and directed by Rob Burnett and starring Paul Rudd, Craig Roberts, and Selena Gomez, The Fundamentals of Caring features Ben (Rudd) who takes a job as a caregiver for an 18-year-old (Roberts) with muscular dystrophy. The two set out on a road trip and meet unexpected people on the way. While it's meant to be a comedy, there are some emotionally overwhelming moments throughout the film, which is based on a novel by Jonathan Evison.
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13
Blue Jay
When two high-school sweethearts are reunited—Jim (Mark Duplass, who also wrote the screenplay) is back in their California hometown after his mother's death; Amanda (Sarah Paulson) still lives there—things begin lightly, but over the course of an evening, old wounds are reopened and new ones are examined as the story, about things we lose and things we give away, comes to its emotional crescendo.
14
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom
Based on Pulitzer Prize winner August Wilson's play and directed by George C. Wolfe, Ma Rainey's Black Bottom was the last movie actor Chadwick Boseman made before his death. That fact alone is enough to make us weepy—but the story of a recording session in 1927 Chicago, is also heartbreakingly tragic thanks to not only the drama depicted between the musicians (some of whom are based on real-life players) but also the situations some of the characters are unwittingly forced into.
15
Les Misérables
Classics are classics for a reason. Through different adaptations and iterations, the Les Mis storyline has been bringing people to tears since its inception. Set in France in 1832, this musical illustrates the lives of those living in a time of poverty and rebellion. The 2012 film boasts an all-star cast of Hugh Jackman as Jean Valjean, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, and Russell Crowe. We dare you to keep your eyes dry during "On My Own."
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16
6 Balloons
Abbi Jacobson and Dave Franco play siblings in this dark film, which was written and directed by Marja-Lewis Ryan. The bulk of the plot transpires over the course of one fateful night when Jacobson’s character attempts to help her younger brother (Franco) grapple with his heroin addiction. The two stars, both comic aces, can keep things light when they need to be, but the weight of a story about addiction, family bonds, and a sibling's responsibility makes for some truly weepy moments.
17
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Believe it or not, this one might garner happy tears. It’s based on the true story of on 13-year-old boy with a knack for science who sets out to end the famine afflicting his Malawi village. It’s a redemptive, hopeful tale based on a memoir by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer and starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, who also directs.
18
Other People
Jesse Plemons plays David, a young man who leaves New York City to go home to Sacramento to care for his mother (Molly Shannon), who has been diagnosed with cancer. If caretaking was enough, David's also dealing with a recent breakup, a failing career, and trouble connecting with his father and sisters. The film follows David for nearly a year, charting his ups and downs, and telling a charming, devastating story about family, forgiveness, and learning to let go.
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19
American Son
Kerry Washington and Steven Pasquale play parents to a teenage son who goes missing under suspicious circ*mstances pointing to police involvement. All too relevant in modern America, this movie explores race relations and police brutality from the perspective of two terrified individuals who try to set aside their differences for the sake of finding their child.
20
Someone Great
Jenny (Gina Rodriguez), a music journalist who’s only days away from moving across the country for a job at Rolling Stone, gets surprise-dumped by her long-term boyfriend, prompting a weekend of adventure, healing, and a lot of tears in this movie, written and directed by Jennifer Kaytin Robinson.
Lucia Tonelli
Assistant Editor
Lucia Tonelli is an Assistant Editor at Town & Country, where she writes about the royal family, culture, real estate, design, and more.
Meg Donohue
Associate Fashion Commerce Editor
Meg (she/her) is the associate fashion commerce editor at ELLE.com, where she specializes in shopping stories spanning the fashion, home, and lifestyle categories. Over the past three years, she has devoted countless hours to researching brands, testing hundreds (maybe even thousands!) of products, and deep-diving into market and consumer trends. Her favorite job responsibilities consist of co-writing the monthly series Same Same But Different and curating the fashion market for ELLE Escapes. Meg graduated magna cum laude from the Missouri School of Journalism with an emphasis on magazine editing. In 2020, one of her feature stories in the service article category was recognized by the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The year prior, the Society of Professional Journalists named voxmagazine.com “Best Affiliated Magazine” in its Mark of Excellence Awards, when she was on staff. Meg’s stories have appeared on Cosmopolitan, Town & Country, Harper’s Bazaar, and Good Housekeeping, among many other outlets. Her personal passions include travel, buffalo sauce, and gardening. You can find her in New York, where she lives, or on Instagram, where she also lives. She will never stop hoping for a One Direction reunion tour.
