We all know the week of finals can be a rough time. If there’s anyone out there who has yet to cry during this time, I want to know your secrets. Although studying is obviously super important, so are all the study breaks we all take from time to time. Searching for the perfect movie to watch during your break can be difficult, so here’s a list of cry-worthy movies that I’ve compiled to make your breaks a little smoother.
1. Titanic
You can’t make a list of movies to cry to without including everyone’s favorite. It includes everything you could ever want in a study break movie: love, passion, death. All the things that make a good movie great.
2. The Notebook
Another movie night classic, The Notebook will always hold a place in every girl’s lonely heart. The tale of romance and rich girl meets poor, beautiful boy will never fail to have you reaching for the tissue box.
3. The Lucky One
Nicolas Sparks movies will never fail to appear multiple times on a list of sad movies, so here’s my next suggestion. This one is slightly less widely known than The Notebook, but an A+ movie to cry to nonetheless. The Lucky One is tremendous in that it not only has Zac Efron in it, it also has Zac Efron playing with kids in it. It’s a win win situation.
4. A Walk to Remember
The third Nicolas Sparks on the list, this one is special to me in that it was the first real chick flick I ever watched. And man is it a doozy. Have a box of tissues at the ready, because those tears will be flying.
5. Remember Me
This movie has absolutely everything. A troubled Robert Pattinson (let’s not hold Twilight against him) who fights with his father and keeps getting into trouble until he meets the beautiful Emilie de Ravin. You will be shedding tears and smiling all throughout the movie, and at the end the tears will come harder than ever.
6. Now is Good
Cancer movies always get my tear glands going. This one is no exception to the rule.
7. Keith
Jesse McCartney is not typically thought of as a movie star, but man is he good in this emoitonal roller coaster of a movie. Your emotions will change so much you won’t know quite what to do with yourself.
8. Cyberbully
ABC Family (now Freeform) outdid themselves with this heart-wrenching film. You will not stop crying, I pomise you that. And in true ABC Family form, there’s at least a somewhat happy ending to tie it all together so you won’t still be crying when you get back to studying.
9. Dead Poets Society
To be honest, I cry as soon as I see Robin Williams come on the screen. But ignoring that, this movie is a tear-jerker. Robin Williams will have you laughing until the very end, when the real tears start to come.
10. What’s Eating Gilbert Grape
I’m down to watch anything that has both Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio in it, especially young Johnny and Leo. You will truly be wondering why Leo waited until Revenant to get an Oscar, because his portrayal of a teen with Autism is amazing. The story of this dysfunctional family is sure to bring the tears.
11. Brokeback Mountain
Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal truly bring the passion in this film of self discovery. Anyone who hasn’t seen it needs to figure out what they’re doing with their lives, because this movie is a classic.
12. Me Before You
The newest movie on this list, Me Before You stars Sam Claflin and Emilia Clarke (aka Daenerys from GoT), both of whom will have you crying so hard you won’t know what to do with yourself by the end.
13. Zootopia
Right when you expected a cute Disney movie, bam you’ve been hit with a depressing backstory. A cute ending brings you back though.
14. Up
Anyone who doesn’t cry at the opening scene of this amazing movie must be truly heartless. This story of a young boy and an old man on an adventure is sure to get you.
15. Inside Out
As somone who struggles with depression and anxiety, this movie had me bawling in the middle of the movie theater as I watched it with my date. Inside Out gives a dramatic look into what goes on inside your brain and will have you wondering who at Disney was fucked up enough to make this a children’s movie.
16. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
I read the book first and was thrilled to find out that the author was directing the movie. As the novel that made me come to realize I was depressed, this movie really gets my tear glands going.
17. Charlie St. Cloud
This movie is heart-wrenching. I won’t lie and say I didn’t cry multiple times the first time I watched it. As soon as you catch on to the plot, you can’t help but ugly cry the rest of the way.
18. The Road
This distopian storyline set in the future follows a boy and his ailing father, both of whom you root for throughout their entire journey. If you find a way to smile while watching this movie, I am extremely worried about you.
19. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close
Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock are both outstanding in this movie. It will have you jerking a smile right before breaking your heart into a million pieces, just as any movie featuring 9/11 could.
20. Bridge to Terabithia
Anyone will tell you that if you don’t like crying, DO NOT WATCH THIS MOVIE. Young Josh Hutcherson and Anna Sophia Robb will have you smiling along with them up until you suddenly feel like your heart has been ripped from your chest.
Bonus: Fankie’s Holiday
This isn’t a movie, it’s a commercial by Apple about Frankenstein’s monster on Christmas. I full-out cry every time it comes on the TV. This commercial literally never fails to get me sad and crying.