You’re not alone if you’ve ever watched a movie and had an entirely emotional experience. Some films use that experience as a selling point; others sneak up on you and break your heart in half.
From the romance genre to the horror movie, independent films to dramas — the storytelling combined with beloved (or loathed) characters creates the perfect equation to take you on an emotional roller coaster. A Reddit thread asked movie lovers which films left them feeling emotionally broken, and the responses will likely leave you with that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach.
One of the most-mentioned films was Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. If you ask anyone who’s seen the movie, they can likely recall the very setting where they saw it for the first time.
There’s nothing like a lengthy film where you see love and heartache play out in front of you in more than one regard. It is one of those movies you can only watch so many times.
Requiem for a Dream is also a heart-wrenching movie. We can vividly remember seeing that for the first time and almost feeling stuck to our seats. It was a total body experience. Nocturnal Animals was also a frequently commented film for a good reason. It’s a real mind game.
The Road is a tough watch, and that’s putting it mildly.
Grave of the Fireflies is also a contender for one of the most emotionally damaging movies there is.
I’m Thinking of Ending Things almost carried a one-two punch.
A.I. is another movie you can only watch so many times, and you’ve got to prepare for it before you hit play. Into the Wild also makes viewers extremely emotional, especially when you realize a true story inspires it.
Calling a film “hopelessly cruel” is one way to ensure someone understands the depth of what they’ll be tuning into, and it’s very accurate with this one. While all the movies on this list are pretty heavy, this one exists on another level entirely.
Lilya 4-ever is a film most viewers can watch only once, and it’s got some heavy themes in it (as do most on the list), so you might want to check out the synopsis before tuning in.
P.S. I Love You can hit a little too close to home for some viewers. It’s a sweet movie, romantic and touching, but it’s also heartbreaking — especially if you’ve lost someone you love.
Life is Beautiful was so devastating that some audiences couldn’t finish the film, and those who could likely never watched it again. It’s not that it wasn’t a great movie; it was just… heartbreaking.
If you’re looking to sit in a pile of emotions this weekend, watching any of the above films will satisfy that urge, but you’ll most certainly want to prepare before pressing play.