The 30 Best Sad Romance Movies to Watch When You Need a Good Cry
Grab some tissues—and some wine.
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If you’re looking for a lighthearted rom-com, stop reading now. These romantic films aren’t going to give you warm and fuzzy feelings; they’re more likely to make you sob into a glass of wine. But sometimes a good cry session is needed. For an emotion-fueled watch, here are the best sad romance movies you can stream right now.
Titanic (1997)
With 11 Academy Awards, Titanic is one of the most decorated films in history. James Cameron’s three-hour epic romance recounts the RMS Titanic’s tragic 1912 sinking through the eyes of Rose (Kate Winslet), a wealthy woman in a loveless relationship, and Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio), a poor artist. After meeting by chance, the two passengers fall in love on the doomed voyage.
Past Lives (2023)
When Nora’s family moves to the U.S., she has to leave her dear childhood friend Hae Song behind in South Korea. The two reconnect decades later, when Hae Song visits Nora—and her husband. Greta Lee and Teo Yoo lead this beautifully written film about destiny, identity, and what could have been.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
What if erasing all memory of your ex was as easy as scheduling a doctor appointment? In the world of this Michel Gondry film, forgetting is a medical procedure—one that Joel (Jim Carrey) undergoes after breaking up with Clementine (Kate Winslet). Fun fact: this sci-fi romance served as inspiration for Ariana Grande’s 2024 album Eternal Sunshine.
Moonlight (2016)
Written and directed by Barry Jenkins, Moonlight is a masterpiece with three Oscars to its name, including Best Picture. The LGBTQ coming-of-age story follows Chiron, a shy boy grappling with his sexuality and his changing relationship with a close friend as he grows up in the midst of the crack epidemic. Its all-Black cast features Oscar-winner Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, and Naomie Harris.
Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Like most Baz Luhrmann movies, Moulin Rouge! is showy, sparkly, and a whole lot of fun. But it also has a tragic ending. The jukebox musical is about a writer (Ewan McGregor) who moves to Paris and meets Satine (Nicole Kidman), a courtesan. The two fall in love and are forced to keep their romance a secret from a bumbling-yet-cruel duke who’s also pursuing Satine.
Brokeback Mountain (2005)
A seasonal job herding sheep in the Wyoming mountains has lifelong repercussions for cowboys Ennis (Heath Ledger) and Jack (Jake Gyllenhaal). They fall in love, but in their conservative, 1960s world, they have to keep their relationship a secret, even if it means never getting what they desire.
About Time (2013)
Tim is a hopeless romantic with a secret: Like all the men in his family, he can travel back in time to specific moments in his life. About Time follows Tim as he learns the rules—and the consequences—of his power, navigates his new relationship with Mary (Rachel McAdams), and is mentored by his father and fellow time traveler (Bill Nighy).
Blue Valentine (2010)
Dean and Cindy’s relationship is told in two interwoven narratives: its beginning, and its unraveling. Michelle Williams earned an Oscar nomination for her leading role, and Ryan Gosling stars opposite her in this heartbreaking film that’ll stick with you long after the credits roll.
(500) Days of Summer (2009)
Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) believes Summer (Zooey Deschanel) is his dream girl. After she unexpectedly ends their relationship, moments of their 500 days together are recounted nonlinearly as he tries to process the breakup that left him blindsided and heartbroken.
The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
Based on John Green’s bestselling novel, The Fault in Our Stars is the story of Hazel Grace (Shailene Woodley), a 16-year-old girl living with cancer. She meets a boy in remission at a cancer support group and, bonding over their diagnoses and shared adoration of books, the two fall in love.
We Live in Time (2024)
An unconventional meet-cute. A cancer diagnosis. A prestigious cooking competition. A childbirth. These moments of Tobias and Almut’s relationship are intertwined through We Live in Time, a romance helmed by the electric chemistry between Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield.
Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Another Baz Luhrmann romance, Romeo + Juliet takes Shakespeare’s famous tragedy and adds pistols, ecstasy trips, fireworks, and other 20th-century theatrics. Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes are the story’s doomed lovers, and the film also boasts performances by John Leguizamo, Harold Perrineau, and Paul Rudd.
The Last Five Years (2015)
Jamie and Cathy’s relationship is over—and that’s not a spoiler. This movie, based on a stage musical by Jason Robert Brown, opens with Cathy (Anna Kendrick) learning her husband Jamie (Jeremy Jordan) has left her. Their five-year relationship is then recounted in two alternating timelines: from beginning to end, and from end to beginning.
Carol (2015)
Rooney Mara is Therese, a department store worker in the 1950s who begins dating a wealthy older woman, Carol (Cate Blanchett). But there are lots of obstacles for Therese and Carol—including Carol’s ex (Kyle Chandler), who’s threatening to expose their sexuality.
The Notebook (2004)
Author Nicholas Sparks is known for his tear-jerker romances, and one of his most famous novels is The Notebook. Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling bring Sparks’s book to life as Allie and Noah, two teenagers who fall for each other despite their polar-opposite upbringings.
In the Mood for Love (2000)
Two lonely neighbors in 1960s Hong Kong, suspecting their spouses are having an affair, begin spending time together and imagining ways their secret love began. They soon develop feelings as they lean on each other for comfort—despite agreeing to keep their relationship platonic.
Atonement (2007)
Thirteen-year-old Briony (Saoirse Ronan) has an all-consuming crush on the son of her family’s housekeeper (James McAvory), who’s romantically involved with her older sister, Cecilia (Keira Knightley). Her infatuation leads to a lie that has life-changing effects for everyone.
Marriage Story (2019)
While the romance is over between Charlie and Nicole, their relationship isn’t. In Marriage Story, the two divorcées struggle to co-parent their young son while figuring out what they mean to each other. This Academy Award-winning film by Noah Baumbach stars Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson.
P.S. I Love You (2007)
As he’s dying from a brain tumor, Gerry (Gerard Butler) arranges a series of messages to be delivered to his wife Holly (Hilary Swank) after he’s gone. P.S. I Love You follows Holly in the wake of Gerry’s death as she deals with her overwhelming grief and learns how to keep living without him.
Ghost (1990)
After his violent death, a man’s spirit chooses to stay in limbo so he can watch over his wife. He soon learns her life is threatened by the very person who killed him, and he has to find a way to warn her from the other side. This romance features Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, and Whoopi Goldberg, who won an Oscar for her performance as a hack psychic.
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