You can cry, it makes us strong
We’ve all been there– whether it’s after a hard day, a bad fight with a friend, or maybe you’re just really tired, we can all use a good cry every now and again. Instead of encouraging you to fight that urge I am here to tell you to let it in. Don’t pretend like you aren’t feeling down in the dumps, it is okay to lay there on occasion. Here are five movies to watch when you can sense those water works coming on that will help you feel all of the feels and just let it out.
Honorable Mention: Five Feet Apart
I don’t particularly find this movie as sad as the others on this list, but felt wrong leaving it out completely. This piece produced by Justin Baldoni is a classic case of star crossed lovers. Two patients with cystic fibrosis, a genetic disorder that can lead to serious health issues, slowly fall in love in the confines of their hospital rooms. The kicker is, patients with CF cannot come into contact with each other to avoid the risk of even worse health complications. Stella and Will find their own creative ways around this barrier up until the very end. Without giving too much away, the way that the concept of loving someone enough that you are willing to die for them is portrayed in a measly one hour and 57 minutes may just leave your eyes a little damp.
1. Luca
Now to officially kick off this list, we start with an animated movie. To fully appreciate Luca as a sad movie, you need to look past the fact that it is a cartoon, and appreciate its message instead. The movie is about more than two little sea monsters who want a vespa. It is a tale of innocence and friendship in its purest form. Two kids teaching each other about the wonders of life without the judgment of the outside world. They accept each other as they are, and they take on different adventures together. A theme that may turn into a trend throughout this list is the power love can have. This movie invokes a feeling of nostalgia, and once again, the idea of loving someone more than yourself. Seeing two children take this thought to the extreme makes you appreciate the people you have in your own life. When I watch this movie I can’t help but think about the people in my life who I would sacrifice so much for, and the people who I know would do the same for me, which is a marvelous concept to think about.
2. My Girl
For some reason, a movie hits so much closer to home when it is played by children. Very similar to Luca, it just adds an extra layer of innocence. My Girl explores the confusing journey childhood can be: making friends, navigating crushes, falling in love and experiencing loss. Instead of breaking down what makes this particular movie so incredibly sad, I will just quote the part that really broke me: “Where are his glasses? He can’t see without his glasses.”
3. Beautiful Boy
The true story based on David Sheff’s relationship with his own son has a drastically different feel than the rest of these movies. It is centered around love, but in a completely different sense: fatherly love. There is no romance in this movie, unless you count the toxic relationship between Nic Sheff and copious amounts of drugs. The real love is that of his father, who despite watching his son lie, cheat and steal all to slowly kill himself, still desperately tries to show him unconditional love. It is hard to watch the struggle each of these men are fighting: Nic, who is trying to be a better son, but is in a losing battle to the heinous disease of addiction, and David, whose heart is being ripped to shreds trying to give his son the benefit of the doubt, while being forced to pick between Nic and his family– now two separate entities.
4. The Notebook
Such a classic film with an unexpected twist, The Notebook never fails to elicit a few dramatic sobs from me. The movie is another paradigm of the complicated journey of love. I can’t help but be saddened by the thought that not everyone will get to experience something as intricate and frustrating and exhilarating as what Noah Calhhoun and Allie Hamilton had. The movie carries you along their good times, then drags you along during the bad, but that is not what makes this movie so tragic. The tragedy occurs when you watch Noah act in a way that would drive anyone else insane for the woman he has loved his entire life with patience and poise. The tragedy is watching him love her until his dying breath, the true definition of an everlasting love.
5. Clouds
Last but not least, arguably the most gut-wrenching movie I have ever seen was, ironically enough, also directed by Justin Baldoni. This movie makes you realize that nothing is guaranteed, and that there is nothing worth doing except for the things you love. Zach Sobiech was a high school student who fought cancer, and as quickly as he heard the news that he was in remission, he found out the cancer came back, but this time it was terminal. This is not a movie surrounding the question of whether or not Zach would die, it is a matter of when. This notion alone leaves you feeling very somber watching the events of his life unfold, but coexisting with that feeling is immense joy. You watch this boy live out his dreams, do the things he never imagined possible, and the fact that this is based on a true story is icing on the cake. It reminds us that tomorrow is not guaranteed, and to stop taking the little things for granted. The beautiful story along with the beautiful production pretty much guarantees uncontrollable sobs while watching.
So, the next time you feel like a crying session is in order, I highly recommend giving one of these movies a try. The themes that come with them are beautiful, heartbreaking and eye-opening and it might just be the cure you’re looking for.