I don’t know if it’s just me, but I adore depressing movies. The more tragic, awful and disturbing they are, the more excited I get. If you’re looking for a new sad movie or just a movie in general, you’ve come to the right place. Here are my top depressing movies, but make sure you’re prepared to feel emotionally dead afterward.
My Girl
My Girl has dark undertones throughout its duration, given that the main character, Vada, lost her mother, and her father’s job centers around death. The film has a great dark humour to it, but it really just punches you in the absolute worst way at the end. I watched this film when I was young and I could definitely relate to Vada’s coming of age story, but I think that it’s still a must-see at any age. The film has sincere and tender moments (that first kiss scene is peak cuteness) which makes the ending that much more painful.
Favourite Quote: “I only surround myself with people who I find intellectually stimulating.”
Sad Scale: 9/10
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
This movie is a wild ride. Joel discovers that his ex-girlfriend, Clementine, underwent an operation to erase him from her memory. Joel decides to do the same, but as the procedure goes on, he realizes that there are some memories that he doesn’t want to lose. I watched this before I ever went through a break-up and I’m curious to see how it would affect me now that I’ve been through one. This one truly makes you think about relationships, the concept of soulmates and how we can become drawn to people. The scene that really destroys me is when they’re in bed together and Clementine asks if she’s ugly, Joel then starts kissing the word pretty into her skin and begs to hold onto that one memory. Ugh, it’s truly a painful one to watch.
Favourite Quote: “What a loss to spend that much time with someone, only to find out that she’s a stranger.”
Sad Scale: 8/10
Blue Valentine
Blue Valentine is similar to Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind because they both show a relationship in its most wholesome, romantic stage contrasted with its most devastating stage. Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling are incredible in this, and the moments when they first start falling in love are so innocent, which makes their crumbling marriage all the more tragic. The film really does embody a relationship that can start so perfectly and go downhill. The young stage of their relationship is probably the best I’ve seen in a movie.
Favorite quote: “In my experience, the prettier a girl is, the more nuts she is, which makes you insane.”
Sad Scale: 9.5/10
Manchester by the Sea
Manchester by the Sea didn’t necessarily have me bawling my eyes out, but the entire film is centered around a man that is asked to take care of his nephew after the boy’s father dies, but there’s a big (and tragic) reason why he doesn’t want to stay in that town for too long. There are key sad moments, but I think what makes the film stand out is just how lonely and isolated Casey Affleck’s character is, while still having a sense of humour.
Favourite Quote: “You don’t understand. There’s nothing. There’s nothing there.”
Sad Scale: 7/10
Like Crazy
This movie really got me. This movie centers around a long-distance relationship, in all its hardships and heartfelt moments. The two main characters are so kind and adorable together, and anyone who has experienced a long-distance relationship can relate to how challenging and lonely it is to be away from someone that you so deeply care about. I found the ending to be incredibly sad, and without giving too much away I’ll just say that it’s open to interpretation and my own interpretation was a devastating one.
Favourite quote: Jacob: “What have you been doing?” Anna: “Waiting for you.”
Sad Scale: 8.5/10
Even if sad movies aren’t typically your cup of tea, these movies are impactful for many different reasons. The acting, scripts and moments of humour balance out the tear-jerking scenes. And hey, sometimes we all need to let it out.