Top 20 Most Heartbreaking Movies of All Time

you cry

makes me want to welcome to miss Mojo

and today we're counting down our picks

for the top 20 saddest movies of all

time

through all these lies I have told for

this list we'll be looking at the most

heartbreaking and all depressing films

ever made as we'll be discussing the

plots of these movies a spoiler alert is

now in effect what has been your saddest

cinematic experience let us know in the

comments below number 20 atonement with

World War II as a backdrop this British

drama traces a doomed pairing from the

1930s to the 1940s

young bryony wrongly believes that her

older sister Cecilia is assaulted by

Robbie this sets off a course of tragic

events that separate the couple who were

actually in love bryony writes this

story into a book and tries to make the

ending of the romance seem more hopeful

I

gave them

their happiness in a Twist the writer

reveals that Cecilia and Robbie both

died in the early stages of the war a

series of painful scenes show the former

dying in the Blitz and the latter

Contracting a fatal bout of sepsis at

Dunkirk this Revelation serves as a gut

punch to viewers who hoped they would

reunite I couldn't any longer imagine

what purpose would be served by it

by

honesty by honesty

or reality number 19 me and Earl and the

dying girl a funny project with a lot of

heart this quirky comedy deals with the

ups and downs of high school best case

scenario just

survive you know

survive without creating any mortal

enemies or hideously embarrassing

yourself forever

just survival until College

college no God college is going to be

even worse the central character Greg is

a filmmaker who Partners up with his

friend to make parodies of classic

movies after reluctantly hanging out

with a sick girl named Rachel he comes

to realize that his films could mean

something to someone else I should

actually just stay here and keep you

from watching that oh

I'm fine you can go make it

okay have fun watching this incredibly

terrible movie

have fun making the next one the story

touches on the pitfalls of being a

teenager and struggling to express

yourself through ART Greg and Rachel

develop a special friendship as they

warm up to each other bonding over

Cinema and commiserating about the

future the title might give away the

ending but it doesn't lessen the impact

of the Final Act no one has done more to

make me smile than he has and no one

ever could number 18

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

this imaginative sci-fi drama features

Jim Carrey attempting to erase his

ex-girlfriend from his memory after she

does the same only to encounter hiccups

in the procedure you'll remember me in

the morning and you'll come to me and

you'll tell me about us and we'll start

off the central dilemma takes Kerry's

character Joel into a flurry of memories

about Kate Winslet's Clementine

filmmaker Michelle gondri and writer

Charlie Kaufman bring together their

poignant vision for the future with

incisive points about romantic

relationships you know you will think of

things and I'll get bored with you and

feel trapped because that's what happens

with me

okay Joel's a trek through his

subconscious leads to emotional episodes

revolving around his life the process

finds him confronting his weaknesses and

the troubled romance that he wants back

considered to be a modern classic

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

gives viewers a brutal look at the

imperfections of love

[Music]

is going to be gone soon

what do we do

number 17 The Faults in Our Stars in

this adaptation of the John Green Book

Hazel falls in love with fellow cancer

patient Gus why are you looking at me

like that because you're beautiful

oh my God I enjoy looking at Beautiful

People the teenage romance starts in

Indianapolis and ends up in Amsterdam

where the two track down a mysterious

author The Love Story between the two

takes a Humane look at the lives of

young people with serious medical

problems rather than portraying them as

victims the film allows them to have an

adventure together before one of them

succumbs to the illness one day

all of our labors will be returned to

dust

I know that the sun will swallow the

only Earth we will ever have

and I am in love with you it's a movie

that you definitely have to watch with a

box of tissues just in case after Gus

sadly passes away Hazel tries to carry

on in an especially emotional ending you

don't get to choose if you get hurt in

this world but you do have a saying who

hurts you

and I like my choices

I hope she likes hers

okay Hazel Grace number 16 Old Yeller

the classic Disney film Old Yeller has

scarred young children for many

generations I was lucky for us son but

it weren't lucky for Old Yeller

chewed up some but he ain't bad heard

set after the Civil War the plot centers

around a Texas boy who takes in a stray

dog and learns to love it the main bond

between Travis and his canine friend

plays out as they work on the homestead

look at all them Stars

[Music]

bushels of them

[Music]

I wonder maybe Papa's lying out there on

the trail somewhere

I'm looking at him too as is the case

with most movies about pets this

eventually leads to one of the more

devastating endings in cinematic history

the main character decides to put Old

Yeller out of his misery leaving behind

the innocence of his picturesque

childhood no mama

there's no hope for him now Travis

saffron

you know we've got to do it number 15

The Shawshank Redemption Andy Dufresne

has handed consecutive life sentences

for a double homicide he claims not to

have committed of his sentence he spends

only 19 years in prison before making

his way out during that time he endures

abuse that tests his faith in humanity I

wish I could tell you that Andy fought a

good fight and the sisters let him be

I wish I could tell you that

but prison is no fairy tale World Frank

darabont's movie examines the effects of

prison on various characters over the

course of several years a corrupt Warden

and sadistic prison guards also make his

stay even more disturbing I almost

forgot

I hate to deprive you of this

salvation lies within

emotional Arc of defray

what's up

a dazzling

us and a

Michelle Shank Redemption still stands

as an engrossing study about the Triumph

of people over a corrupt system hope is

a good thing

maybe the best of things

and no good thing ever

done number 14 Saving Private Ryan among

the most famous depictions of World War

II on screen Saving Private Ryan follows

American soldiers during the initial

invasion of Normandy fan out of your

weapon keep those actions clear

see you on the beach the first sequence

depicts the D-Day Landings without

pulling any punches director Stephen

Spielberg accurately depicts the

gruesome effects of warfare putting

audiences at ground level as hundreds of

men are mowed down the story then shifts

to a mission concerning the whereabouts

of the titular private boys live

we are gonna send somebody to find them

and we are going to get into hell

out of there forcing army men to

confront their worst fears on the

battlefield the movie takes a hard look

at the many sacrifices made to save one

soldier the last scene only drives home

that notion as most of the characters

lose their lives in combat earn this

number 13 Moonlight this oscar-winning

drama follows Tyrone through his

turbulent childhood teenage years and

adult life at some point you got to

decide for yourself

can't let nobody make that decision for

you director Barry Jenkins Vision allows

for three

reasonable growth during which the main

character deals with his abusive mother

and discovers his sexual identity he

also receives guidance from a drug

dealer who becomes a father figure in

his life his first encounter with

another student doesn't pan out later

leading to harassment and an incident

that finds him in trouble with the law

you won't even know

oh I don't no

you think all this just started boy I

ain't no boy the hell you ain't Sharon

then transforms into a guarded adults

for the final chapter the film's

tremendous impact comes together in the

last few scenes as the hero reconnects

with his former love you're the only man

has ever touched me

you're the only one number 12 The

Notebook Nicholas Spark's most famous

book received a massively popular

adaptation in 2004. I want all of you

forever you and me every day spanning A

multi-year Love Affair The Notebook

follows the complicated courtship of

Noah and Ali in 1940s South Carolina it

also features several gut-wrenching

scenes such as a moment in the rain that

might be the movie's most iconic image

still isn't over

next to tear inducing romance there's

also the frame story of both characters

in older age this both puts the plot

into a larger context and makes the

flashbacks that much more meaningful

their last Embrace ranks among the more

touching finales in romantic film

history

I'll be seeing you number 11 Titanic

James Cameron's epic project features

two interlocking tragedies the first

story is an interpretation of the real

life incident while the second concerns

the fictional Romance of Jack and Rose

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audiences know that the Fateful Voyage

as well as the relationship will end in

tremendous heartbreak but that still

does nothing to cushion the effects of

the tragedy as it plays out during the

extended climax the movie includes one

sad moment after the other as passengers

fight for their lives until they lived

happily together for 300 years

land of Eternal Youth and Beauty

thousands of casualties occur as the

ocean liner rips apart and disappears

into the water to top everything off the

infamous door scene takes away any

remaining hope of true love I'll never

let go

I promise

[Music]

number 10 The Green Mile The Green Mile

is a Stephen King adaptation that

showcases the relationship between death

row inmate John Coffey and prison guard

Paul Edgecombe death might be the

initial focus of the film but it's

really all about the importance of life

building here in the world every day

throughout the movie coffee performs

Miracles and gradually shows that he's

an extraordinary man Michael Clarke

Duncan gives a vulnerable and

commendable performance as the

supernatural prisoner I got to give you

a little bit of myself

a gift

of me so you can see for yourself his

relationship with Tom hanks's character

represents a deep bond one that is

ultimately broken by an execution this

scene is especially sad given the

innocence of coffee The Green Mile is

both unexpectedly moving and an amazing

tribute to the potential of the human

spirit

that's how it is every day all over the

world number nine Requiem for a Dream

Darren aronofsky's tale about people

with substance use disorder might still

be among the most dire movies ever

please give a juicy welcome to Mrs Sarah

following a group of desperate

individuals Requiem for a Dream doesn't

mince words about the pain they go

through Jared Leto and Jennifer Connolly

tried to keep up their heroin habits

while Ellen burstin spirals into a world

of prescription drug dependency

[Music]

every section of this plot comes with

explicit drug use terrible side effects

and desperate schemes to chase the next

fix each character eventually reaches a

dark conclusion of complete isolation in

what just may be one of the most

effective yet depressing anti-drug

campaigns in movie history can you hear

me can you see me yes sir okay number

eight The Pianist telling the true story

of vadish flashbilman The Pianist

follows the Jewish musician through the

darkest days of World War II

come and look

execution scenes show the Nazis cruel

and inhumane actions during the German

occupation of Poland Adrian Brody

embodies the titular character in an

emotional and physical performance

that's bound to leave you shaken

Brody reportedly starved himself to

achieve an authentic look for the part

portraying spillman's life in harsh

living conditions such as the abandoned

buildings of Warsaw his brushes with

violence sickness and starvation present

images of extreme sadness this

eventually builds to a moment of

surprising Humanity from the unlikeliest

of people

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Manchester by the Sea led by an

oscar-winning performance from Casey

Affleck Manchester by the Sea carries

around a reputation for being depressing

this might be true to some degree but it

doesn't negate the film's powerful story

about grief I don't know what

I just want to tell you Affleck's

character Lee Chandler returns home

after his brother's death and finds

himself facing his inner demons once

more he also struggles with the

knowledge that he's responsible for a

prior accident that led to the death of

his children I can't remember if I put a

screen on the fireplace

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[Music]

as he's left to take custody of his

teenage nephew Manchester by the sea is

a painfully realistic study of grief and

how it never leaves us no matter how far

we go my heart was broken

because it's always good to be broken

but I know yeah this is broken too

number six grave of the fireflies Studio

Ghibli might be the gold standard of

Japanese animation with grave of the

fireflies ranking among their most

emotional works it's the tale of a

brother and sister trying to survive the

end of World War II they endure

everything from Air Raids to food

rationing all while trying to make sense

of the world around them I wanna go home

I hate living with her

we don't have a house to go back to the

drama takes a hard look at life in

war-torn Japan with all of its

desperation please doctor help her

give her medicine

all this child needs is some food she

needs food

how can I help you

where am I supposed to get food losing

both of their parents the children end

up on their own as they fight off

starvation there's ultimately one tragic

element after another leading up to a

truly affecting finale

[Music]

number five Blue Valentine Ryan Gosling

and Michelle Williams give authentic

performances in this stirring romance

instead of being a bubbly rom-com Blue

Valentine features a raw look at a

relationship that slowly falls apart you

made a promise to me okay

you said For Better or Worse

you said that Gosling and Williams play

a couple with two different outlooks on

life they raise a child together but

their differences get in the way of

their happiness

I don't know what else to do

tell me what to do

tell me what you do I don't know what to

do this story is told partly in

flashbacks as their troubled lives turn

out to be anything but a fairy tale

Derek seeon France's film is not for

those looking for Escapist entertainment

but rather an examination of Love Gone

Wrong so out of love with you I've got

nothing left for you nothing nothing

nothing there is nothing here for you

number four Brokeback Mountain Brokeback

Mountain was controversial upon its

release but time has been kind to this

romance I wish I knew how to quit you

why aren't you the plots finds two

Cowboys falling in love in the 1960s

they try to keep their relationship

secret which only drives them apart and

creates lingering resentments Jake

Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger have amazing

chemistry in this realistic portrayal of

Love on the Rocks having to contend with

societal Norms neither man gets to truly

Express their feelings for each other

outside of brief meetings sometimes I

miss you so much I can hardly stand it

their story comes to a sad ending as one

of them tragically loses his life in an

accident Ledger's character reels from

the loss in a touching third act that

puts everything into perspective

foreign

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas using two

children as the focal points this period

drama takes a look at the Holocaust from

an entirely different perspective we're

not supposed to be friends here

we're meant to be enemies did you know

that the child of an SS officer

discovers a boy on the other side of a

fence not understanding that his new

friend is in a concentration camp they

spent time together and slowly begin to

find these similarities in each other do

you not like playing

just not ball games

not here most of the sadness of this

film comes from the profound metaphor at

its Center using the innocence of the

characters as a Counterpoint to the

horrors around them The Boy in the

Striped Pajamas also features an

earth-shattering ending that sees both

kids suffering the same fate all right I

think we're just waiting in here until

the rain stops

off number two Sophie's Choice boasting

arguably Meryl Streep's finest

performance to date this historical

drama delves into a traumatic decision

during World War II Sophie's Choice asks

difficult questions about survivor's

guilt and impossible resolutions that

shape a life

for the Title Character she finds

herself unable to cope with the death of

her child this sets up a harrowing

flashback where she's forced to choose

between her two children yeah

it's a scene that speaks to the horrors

of that time period presenting an awful

event and its unshakable effects given

its distressing subject the movie

chooses not to sugarcoat Sophie's story

opting for a heartbreaking ending in

lieu of a happy conclusion

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number one Schindler's List Steven

Spielberg's award-winning drama follows

Oscar Schindler's Journey from Nazi

sympathizer to unlikely savior

I could have got my Alaska there are

1100 people who are alive because of you

along the way many horrific scenes from

The Holocaust are shown in graphic

detail sequences such as the liquidation

of the Krakow ghetto capture historical

events in the most explicit way

imaginable

[Applause]

as all of this happens Schindler

maintains an uneasy relationship with

the feared officer Ammon good and other

individuals who committed terrible

atrocities while the terrifying violence

serves as one source of sadness the film

also has moments of hope that tug at the

heartstrings this balance functions like

a roller coaster of emotion that cements

shindler's list as the saddest movie

ever made

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