Grab the popcorn, chocolate and wine, and get ready to free your emotions with these top 10 tear-jerkers
Up
This stunning Pixar animation tells the story of an elderly man named Carl who sets sail by tying hundreds of helium balloons to his house to find the mythic Paradise Falls. It captured the hearts of audiences and the academy alike – you’ll struggle to hold back the tears from the very first scene.
It’s a Wonderful Life
The powerful story of George Bailey, who decides to end it all one Christmas Eve, after a lifetime of giving up his own dreams to help others. That is until his guardian angel appears, and shows him what life would have been like in his hometown had he never lived.
Life of Pi
This is a truly majestic adaptation from the cinematic genius of Ang Lee of the book by Yann Martel. A dramatic and unique bond is formed between Pi and a tiger named Richard Parker, with a few near-maulings. We dare you not to cry toward the end.
Good Will Hunting
Will Hunting is an extremely intelligent yet traumatised young man, who choses to work as a janitor instead of embracing opportunities that come to him. After an altercation with a police officer, he’s forced to start seeing a therapist, which puts him on the bumpy road to dealing with his past and embracing love.
The Notebook
Go for anything by author Nicholas Sparks if you’re looking for a satisfying weepie. The 2004 adaptation of The Notebook tells the story of Noah, a poor young man who falls in love with rich-girl Allie. Conniving parents, a war, and even a society wedding conspire to end their love, but the couple remain as enamoured as ever.
Seven Pounds
A Will Smith tear-jerker about Ben Thomas, a man who hopes to redeem himself from a tragedy he caused. He has a plan to help seven people, but then he falls in love with one of them – a woman who needs a heart transplant – and his plan takes a different course. Never before have we been in a movie theatre where everyone there was trying to stifle full-on sobbing.
Hachiko: A Dog’s Story
Heart-throb Richard Gere stars in this heart-warming film about Parker Wilson, a college professor who takes the train to and from work each day, then one evening, comes across a puppy someone’s left behind at the station. He take the puppy in, and the two form an unbreakable bond, so strong that every day, the dog, named Hachiko, walks Parker to the station, and returns in the afternoon to meet him. You’ll find yourself in tears at the dedication of this incredible dog, especially if you keep in mind that it’s based on a true story.
I Am Sam
This story about a dedicated single father, Shaun Dawson (Sean Penn), who is also mentally challenged, will have you questioning what’s most important when raising a child. He stops at nothing to give his daughter a normal upbringing, but when Lucy (Dakota Fanning) reaches her seventh birthday, the challenge becomes not how to care for her, but how to make sure she has the right kind of intellectual guidance that her dad can’t offer. Keep the tissues on-hand!
Revolutionary Road
Based on the Richard Yates novel of the same name, the story follows a young couple who find themselves trapped in a life so different to the one they envisaged for themselves. April Wheeler (Kate Winslet) wanted to be an actress, but ends up a frustrated housewife; while Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) didn’t have the chance to figure that out before settling into a safe job to support the sweet suburban lifestyle that looked so idyllic.
Atonement
Based on the book by Ian McEwan, this one is the ultimate romance. Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley) and Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) fall in love, but Cecilia’s sister makes a false accusation that sends Robbie on a different course, and separates the young lovers. Over time and distance, they long for each other, until their paths cross again.
