Ready for a good sob session? Well, ready or not, these movies are certain to make you shed a tear or two.
From harrowing dramas to heartwarming family films, Watch With Us is highlighting five movies on various streaming platforms that cut deep into the heart of the viewer.
Whether it’s the performances from actors like Shailene Woodley and Brie Larson, the tightly written scripts or the moving scores, something about these movies has a way of making us cry.
If you’re looking to get into your feelings this June, these movies on Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ and more are not to be missed.
‘Room’ (2015)Brie Larson won an Academy Award for her performance in Room — and she earns it with every intense minute of this movie. Larson plays Joy, a young woman who has been kidnapped and held captive for years in a shed, where she gave birth to her son, Jack (Jacob Tremblay, a breakout star). Jack has been raised believing that there is no world outside of “Room,” the space where he and his mother live — and it’s incredible to watch him experience the outside world for the first time as he endeavors to help his mother escape.
Although the story seems bleak, there’s a surprising amount of hope and joy that emerge from this poignant film. The tears you shed will likely be because you’re inspired by Jack’s journey rather than depressed by it.
Rent Room on Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV+.
‘Coco’ (2017)You can’t have a list of sob-worthy films without at least one Pixar movie. In this family film, Miguel (Anthony Gonzalez) is a music lover in a family that forbids music. Although he loves his family — especially his ailing great-grandmother Coco — he chafes against their rules and expectations. When his attempts to follow his musical dreams lead to him getting stuck in the Land of the Dead, he partners with a streetwise skeleton (Gael García Bernal) to find his way back to the living world.
It was tough to pick which Pixar movie is the biggest tearjerker, but Coco wins out because of its relatable themes of family, loss and legacy. This beautiful film showcases the power of music, stories and memories to transcend generations. Make it part of your regular “crying film” rotation.
Watch Coco on Disney+.
‘My Old Ass’ (2024)My Old Ass is kind of a time-travel movie, kind of a teen rom-com — and totally a sobfest. It follows Elliott (Maisy Stella, Nashville), a young woman enjoying her last summer before college with her two best friends. When she takes some magic mushrooms, she winds up meeting and talking to an older version of herself (Aubrey Plaza). But when “Old Elliott” doesn’t disappear after the mushroom trip is over, “Young Elliott” begins seeking advice from her future self.
There are a lot of extremely funny moments in this poignant movie — but the climax of the film is absolutely heart-wrenching. Still, in keeping with the story’s theme, it’s better to enjoy something incredible and then grieve it than not experience it at all.
Watch My Old Ass on Amazon Prime Video.
‘The Spectacular Now’ (2013)Sutter Keely (Miles Teller) and Aimee Finecky (Shailene Woodley) do not run in the same crowds at their high school. Sutter is popular and charming, while Aimee is shy and withdrawn. But when a chance encounter leads them to fall in love, they each learn about the other’s damaged families, deep insecurities and fears about the future.
The Spectacular Now will be relatable to anyone who has had to make big decisions they don’t feel ready for — in other words, everyone. Woodley and Teller’s performances are so grounded and heartfelt, they’ll feel like people you actually knew in high school. It’s an intense movie that bypasses the typical high school clichés and leaves you reeling.
Watch The Spectacular Now on Tubi.
‘Marley & Me’ (2008)
We’ve already mentioned that every weepy list of movies needs a Pixar film. The other prerequisite is a beautiful story about man’s best friend. Marley & Me, based on the memoir by John Grogan, follows an untrainable yellow Labrador who brings a family immeasurable joy, love and headaches throughout his chaotic life.
Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston play John and Jenny Grogan, a young couple whose attempts at a peaceful life are constantly interrupted by Marley’s chewing, digging, barking and other maddening behaviors — but they wouldn’t trade him for anything. For anyone who’s ever loved and lost a pet, Marley & Me is a guaranteed crying session. But just like the love of a dog, the joy in this movie is 100 percent worth the sadness it brings.
Rent Marley and Me on Amazon Prime Video or Apple TV+.
