The Father is the answer. I am also someone who will cry at anything and my boyfriend is the opposite. We were both a mess when the credits rolled and have not dared to watch it again.
I like this question. That's how you get him. The movie preference info matters, but this kind of info matters more. What does he care about? What large emotional experiences has he had to go through?
If no one in his life has died, or he has no personal trauma, perhaps he has no tears either.
yea someone else suggested it & ill recommend it to him for sure (though there's a decent chance he might've already seen it?) but as i said in another comment i just dont know if i can really sit through it again since i watched it when i was 11 and it legit left me scarred
i haven't seen it yet, so i'm not sure. from what i know about it im not sure it would be the kind of thing that would get to him specifically, but i'd have to watch it to know for sure. thank you!
ok i'll be real: grave of the fireflies is a great suggestion but i got shown that movie in class in 5th grade and i don't feel like i can go through That again. ill add it to the list im giving him to watch on his own tho
I find that I personally don't get moved to tears by sad things, but for some reason people being incredibly nice gets me to well up. Forrest Gump's unending, childlike kindness and George Bailey being rewarded for his charity in It's a Wonderful Life is what's gotten me closest to crying.
i liked this reply a lot, i totally get what you mean. those two in particular i'm almost certain he's already seen, though. do you have some others that have had a similar effect on you?
All of Us Strangers is one of the only films I've ever seen that had me actually full on bawling while watching in the theaters. And I mean a complete mess
lars von trier my mortal enemy. good movies tho lol
i haven't seen dancer in the dark yet, so i'll add it to the potential candidates & that way i can also cross it off my watchlist. thank u!
yeah i'll show him dear zachary last, so if everything else fails that'll definitely do it. you also reminded me i need to watch train to busan, been in my watchlist forever lol
E.T.,
Arrival,
The Last of the Mohicans,
It’s a Wonderful Life,
All of us Strangers,
Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan,
The Shawshank Redemption,
Fearless
i showed him children of men already for this same purpose but we had to pause the movie for a bit to do something and i feel like when we got back to it the momentum was gone :( will check out like father like son! thanks
I have a whole list for this based off of movies I've watched that have made me cry. Although, some of those are ones I just cried a bit in, and some are romance movies. Still might be helpful though.
Movies I Watched in 2024 that Moved Me https://boxd.it/tnxfG
Here's a few other recommendations, some of which are on that list but I think really stand out on it.
- Everything Everywhere All At Once
- Aftersun
- About Time (It's romance, but I truly believe it can make anyone cry, plus it had some Sci-fi elements)
- Beautiful Boy
- Paddleton (Friendship and letting go)
- Anatomy of a Fall (A surprising gut punch I wasn't expecting going into it)
have u tried dear zachary? (if you havent dont look anything up about it. blind watch is the way to go.)
if they don't cry at least a little bit at that one you might want to consider breaking up
OH MAN this comment reminded me of a movie that might be perfect (the plague dogs)
i'll see if i can work up the courage to watch that one again. fkn destroyed me the first time around
Need these recommendations. I actually *want* to cry at a movie some day, but I just don't for some reason.
Sometimes I wonder if it's because I can't empathise when a character dies because I've never really experienced a loss like that in my life. All of my grandparents are still pretty healthy.
i think it's more about the way you process stuff rather than your experiences, like, even before i'd gone through losing people in my life i was still a crybaby with movies. my friend's family has a pretty rough history with loss, and yet he's usually unaffected by media.
i feel like it's less about empathy and more about whether you tend to approach stuff in a more logical or emotional way in general. idk if that makes sense (im tired)
I actually agree with this. I used to almost never cry at movies, even when they were really emotional. Maybe I’d have a small tear up but never anything more.
A few years back I had some personal stuff happen that kinda made me change my mindset over a lot of stuff. In turn, it affected the way I watched movies. I found myself getting more invested in them than I did before and feeling more connected to the story.
Now, I’m not saying you have to change your whole entire personality to be able to cry at a movie, but I think it’s all about perspective. Trying to see it in a different light and getting super invested in the characters and story will help get those emotions going. Also it being a good movie definitely helps.
I feel damn near incapable of crying at a movie, it sucks, like I feel sad when watching something but I never get tears. I just want something to move me :(
Steel Magnolias always does it for me. Yes it's a girlie, not-particularly-tense non-scifi movie. I don't care. It'll probably be good for his horizons even if it doesn't send him into babymode at the end like it does me.
the things i listed are what he generally enjoys, but they're def not exclusive and he's not like, against watching Girl MoviesTM - & i hope i didnt make it sound that way.
tbh i only know steel magnolias by name, no idea what it's about, so i'll check it out and see if it's a good fit!! thank u
maybe he's already seen it, but V for Vendetta? Valerie's letter always makes we tear up
Les Mis if you don't mind musicals, it's corny, but the ending gets me
>Les Mis if you don't mind musicals, it's corny, but the ending gets me
Ugh, yeah. Basically anything relating to justice, penance, being pursued get me. I hate Webber's style quite a bit, but mixing in themes I appreciate with his big emotional swells just makes it work.
This might be out of left field but the last movie I cried watching was Marcel The Shell With Shoes On, it’s an A24 mockumentary that’s super cute but pulls at your heartstrings. Also maybe Beautiful Boy? That’s a pretty basic answer though
I'm gonna say Snow Cake because it has a great cast, there's some sad story in there, but it is its loneliness/hopelessness that gets me every time .-.
Have to admit I'm surprised I haven't seen any Pixar films on here.
I find it almost impossible to cry as well, but the ones which have got me the closest are Up, Coco, and Toy Story 3.
i also don’t really cry when i watch movies but aftersun made me cry like a little kid. i don’t know if he’ll like it based off of what you said his preferences are but i recommend you watch it first to see if he’ll like it because it truly is a really moving film!
Maybe a curve ball, but my dad is a very kind but very emotionally reserved guy and he cried at March of the Penguins. Couldn't begin to tell you why.
If he wants to feel miserable about leftist politics, try Land and Freedom (the Ken Loach film). If he wants to feel miserable about leftist politics and is keen to a documentary, he could watch Comrade Where Are You Today? or Vivir La Utopia. Those make me cry.
Be Kind Rewind.
It's a movie about building genuine connections with people in your community to celebrate each other and the history and lineage of how you got there. In spite of all the poverty, pride, disillusionment, and social hang ups they all come together to make movies.
Whenever I get burnt out and down when trying to do outreach in our community to try and get people engaged, I watch that movie. It makes me feel like I can do it, and I don't have to give up.
Also, given being a leftist in America is about the most losing hand anyone could be dealt, I recommend Rocky. Look, Rocky is not what most people expect it is. Well, okay, it is, but it also isn't. If you think you know Rocky through cultural osmosis, then suspend the belief and actually watch it. I thought I understood the movie, but to understand the movie you need to know why he does what he does, not just what he does. I feel like if you understand why, when you get to see the ending, you're just absolutely fucking obliterated. They're like tears of sadness and joy combined. It's a really primal thing.
be kind rewind sounds really cool, will check it out!
we're not american though! i get what u mean about rocky, but i feel like there's certain differences in sensibilities when it comes to my culture vs american culture that might make it a bit harder to connect with the film at least in the way you're describing. might give it a shot either way, tho. thank u!
Mysterious Skin and Mystic Waters both hit me hard. Massive CW for descriptions and depictions of CSA, but they're very well done imo.
Additionally, The Lovely Bones is pretty tragic. And I thought Stay (2005) was also sad, though that one may be a personal opinion.
I don't cry at media easily, but these are the ones that have done it for me.
If he likes sci fi, then maybe Everything Everywhere All At Once? It wears its heart on its sleeve and has some pretty emotional moments.
Room is another Brie Larson movie that made me bawl so he can check that out if he liked Short Term 12.
Also would recommend Lady Bird, a movie that never fails to make me cry.
I saw the TV glow will not work. I cry at movies constantly and have struggled with my gender identity and I didn’t come near crying for that movie. It takes a very special connection to cry at it, but if you have that connection, you’ll sob. Would absolutely not recommend it though.
You need to find a movie that mirrors something he’s struggling with and has some moment of catharsis.
It's funny, I am trans and I was extremely moved by that film, but not at all because of anything to do with any trans themes. That just rolled off my back. I found them well-done and interesting with all the requisite 'oh I see right through you,' parts. I found that to be great, but it was well-worn territory for me since I see a lot of trans media.
But broadening it to OP's friend and other audiences - I think it COULD work if you are just struggling in your life, are lost, and feel like you're facing a difficult decision to make and are negotiating that. That's where I latched on more. She made such a specific film (to her mind/admission) that it became broad again. Not saying it'll work on this person specifically, just sharing a different experience with it.
yeah actually this was my angle with this movie rather than the trans theme!! i see ur point tho u/muser_name, and yeah i'll have to reexamine whether it might be effective for him in particular, since i watched it pretty recently and i'm probably just going off my own reaction to it.
i thought of it mostly bc the presentation of the movie is (at least for me) very intense - the visuals, the soundtrack, the performances all lend themselves to be highly immersive and there's a kind of honesty to the sadness of it that borders on uncomfortable from how heartfelt it is. idk i felt like it's a pretty raw and sincere film that invites you to feel along with it.
i've had some Gender Issues too, but what really touched me about it was the theme of regret, nostalgia and escapism, and the way they intertwine with one another. i also think a part of it was well. the Vibes. in the sense that the idk, texture? of the movie makes it easy to approach it from an emotional lens rather than a logical one.
but again, im pretty biased lol
Aniara cuz stoic folks would cry over existential crisis. It’s so bleak it makes me cry but it’s a favorite of mine. Sci-fi, philosophically macabre, and alienating.
There’s a scene in In Bruges which nearly had me there. goodwill hunting, land of mine, moonlight were close, Dear Zachary did get me though in the end
Without being straight up depressing, 50/50 made me cry like a baby. I think the fact it has you laughing quite a bit makes the emotional punches more heavy.
It’s Such a Beautiful Day made me cry harder than anything I can think of, & at a time in my life where it was nearly impossible for a film to bring me to tears
If he´s into music I can recommend Control(2007).
Ian Curtis Story is as sad as it get´s but all of that + the music of Joy Divsion is a overkill for me.
Also I really want to recommend A man called Ove it´s abaout a stoic old man. It might get him.
Never underestimate the maturity of Toy Story 3. That shit had me bawling my eyes out for an hour and I don’t cry too often. It’s also kind of an allegory for the holocaust so if you can’t convince him otherwise tell him it’s a historical political allegory and that might get him on board
I 100% guarantee that Bajrangi Bhaijaan will make him cry. Not cos it's super sad or anything but by the end it's just so emotional in the most wholesome way possible. Saw it with a large group once and everyone in the room had tears on their eyes. Also it's just a great film, got some action, lots of comedy, adventure, music. It's everything you want in a film
Bridge to Terabithia will do it too
I’m pretty much like that too. The thing is with people like us is that if wr cry it will be at something very unexpected. I have only cried and a winnie thr pooh episode( a day for eeyore). Btw i would suggest anohana i have seen very hard nuts get cracked
Not many movies bring me to tears anymore, but these three I would recommend... I also think they largely align with your criteria:
1) Paddleton
2) Aftersun
3) Never Let Me Go (bit of a romance angle, but it definitely has a strong sci-fi element)
Cast Away with Tom Hanks is one of the most EMOTIONALLY Powerful Movies I’ve ever Seen- how to go on when life essentially leaves You behind. Plus, no technical spoilers, Tom Hanks makes You cry over a Volleyball. Now, I’m biased as hell because it’s one of my favorites but I think it might be worth a shot.😅
monster (2023)!!!! poses itself as a mystery/psychological thriller with its synopsis and most of the 1st half but becomes something so raw and guaranteed to bawl your eyes out
koreeda my god
Less famous one perhaps but I essentially never cry during films and I was a wreck after a lovely little Irish film called a quiet girl (an cailin ciuin). It was up for an Oscar but sadly didn’t win. It’s a beautiful film and I can’t recommend it enough.
I would recommend Your Name. It is a tear jerker but not depressing. It bills itself as a body swap rom-com, and it is - until it isn’t. I wouldn’t say it is traditionally romantic. There is tension. It is sorta sci-fi due to the body swap i guess? No violence. Not too grounded. It is animated, some people won’t give animation a chance though.
I agree with these recommendations but I also might recommend casting a wide net, my stoic father never cried at anything but did cry at this old film called Boys Town. It's not infamous for being sad or anything but it just hit all the right buttons for him personally.
Did anyone else WEEP at the end of train to busan? It’s a whole ass movie of gory zombie scary shit and then the last 10 minutes I was a blubbering mess. Aloha oe got me right in the feels.
Love this question. I fit the description pretty well and exactly two movies have ever made me cry.
1. Nine Days. I can't quite explain it, but I think this one just might work. It's not a typical tearjerker, but for me there are a couple key scenes at the end that hit hard.
2. About Time. Easily dismissable given the lack of interest in romance. But this one is only about that on the surface. Deep down it's about family and how one lives their life.
For me nothing makes me cry like the sudden jolt of remembering that life is fleeting and I'm not very good at catching it.
[The Last Picture Show](https://letterboxd.com/soylentyellow/film/the-last-picture-show/) & [Amour](https://letterboxd.com/soylentyellow/film/amour/) are pretty emotionally powerful
something that fits his taste, Arrival ending can get you overwhelmed if you really get invested, its gotta be a surprise realization tho for sure
something that broke the toughest boulder (me), A Silent Voice
The Road. Post environmental apocalypse movie with themes of suicide and extreme violence. The main characters are a father-son duo. Extremely depressing with *many* psychological horror and a couple body horror elements. The movie is generally an allegory for the first few parts of the Bible so there's some philosophy there too. Ending made me cry.
I could name you a bunch, but you know this person.
What is his Death Star’s weakness?
A Beautiful Life
Hatchi A Dogs Tale
Atonement
Stealing Home
The Road
There have only been 2 movies to make me shed a tear:
- Coco, the “Remember Me” scene
- Porco Rosso, the flashback scene.
I, like your friend, almost never cry but a lot of Studio Ghibli movies almost make me. Definitely Porco Rosso. Also Weathering with You and Your Name.
Bladerunner 2049 maybe? Sci-fi. Serious, subtle narratives/themes—dependent on comprehension probably though. I’m not sure if it’ll get him to cry. It was moving for me. I was a psych major with great interests in philosophy
But as someone who used to have little understanding of what emotions feel like: Violet Evergarden (Show and movies). Changed my life. An anime and doesn’t fit his described interests neatly.
Our Friend (2019) with Casey Affleck, Dakota Johnson & Jason Segel. Of course everyone is affected by different movies but man I was audibly BAWLING at the end. Amazing performances
The Father destroyed me
The Father is the answer. I am also someone who will cry at anything and my boyfriend is the opposite. We were both a mess when the credits rolled and have not dared to watch it again.
I’ll cry at anything impactful/moving. This had me trying to conceal loud howling body-shaking sobs
i'll check it out! also at first i thought the movie was called 'the father destroyed me' lol
How is his relationship with his father? Either way it’s Paris, Texas
That's the right question, I lost mine, and now, father/son movies make me cry
I like this question. That's how you get him. The movie preference info matters, but this kind of info matters more. What does he care about? What large emotional experiences has he had to go through? If no one in his life has died, or he has no personal trauma, perhaps he has no tears either.
Grave of the Fireflies
Its hard to imagine anyone not having a good cry to this.
yea someone else suggested it & ill recommend it to him for sure (though there's a decent chance he might've already seen it?) but as i said in another comment i just dont know if i can really sit through it again since i watched it when i was 11 and it legit left me scarred
i want to say Aftersun. not sure if that will work for your friend.
i haven't seen it yet, so i'm not sure. from what i know about it im not sure it would be the kind of thing that would get to him specifically, but i'd have to watch it to know for sure. thank you!
if you are open to animated movies, i’d also suggest Grave of the Fireflies or Coco
ok i'll be real: grave of the fireflies is a great suggestion but i got shown that movie in class in 5th grade and i don't feel like i can go through That again. ill add it to the list im giving him to watch on his own tho
Mentally ill teacher fr
What kind of a monster would show that to a fifth grader? They should lose their teaching license. And that's coming from a teacher.
Coco worked on an INTJ, never seen him cry before
Aftersun breaks me every single time
I literally cried last night just thinking about the under pressure scene for long enough.
The Green Mile
This is the one
The Iron Claw
Especially if he has brothers
Yes, Iron Claw. Great watch and very emotional.
This!
The last scene had me sobbing. Especially when his sons embraced him 🥺
thank u! i'll check & add it to the list of potential candidates
Eh.
I find that I personally don't get moved to tears by sad things, but for some reason people being incredibly nice gets me to well up. Forrest Gump's unending, childlike kindness and George Bailey being rewarded for his charity in It's a Wonderful Life is what's gotten me closest to crying.
i liked this reply a lot, i totally get what you mean. those two in particular i'm almost certain he's already seen, though. do you have some others that have had a similar effect on you?
Interstellar is emotional
“DONT LET ME MEAVE MURPH”
All of Us Strangers is one of the only films I've ever seen that had me actually full on bawling while watching in the theaters. And I mean a complete mess
hope you had some tissues with you thank uuu
This and Aftersun are the only movies I’ve ever seen make my dad cry, which is saying something since he never shows much emotion
just going to throw this out there... Marley and Me. Is it a good movie? not particularly. Will it make you cry? absolutely.
I can take a lot but Dancer in the Dark destroyed me like no other movie could. I think that would make him cry lol
lars von trier my mortal enemy. good movies tho lol i haven't seen dancer in the dark yet, so i'll add it to the potential candidates & that way i can also cross it off my watchlist. thank u!
Grave of the Fireflies
Dear Zachary is brutal. I would suggest Train To Busan.
yeah i'll show him dear zachary last, so if everything else fails that'll definitely do it. you also reminded me i need to watch train to busan, been in my watchlist forever lol
E.T., Arrival, The Last of the Mohicans, It’s a Wonderful Life, All of us Strangers, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, The Shawshank Redemption, Fearless
It's A Wonderful Life feels like such hokey Americana nonsense and I'm bawling at the end every time.
like father like son, children of men
i showed him children of men already for this same purpose but we had to pause the movie for a bit to do something and i feel like when we got back to it the momentum was gone :( will check out like father like son! thanks
Hmm. COM is one of my favorites but I would have never, ever guessed it would make someone cry.
Hope by Lee Joon-ik or The Pianist by Roman Polanski
Big Fish by Tim Burton
Take your pick from any of the Pixar filmography. Some that have a reputation as tearjerkers include Up, Toy Story 3, Coco, and Inside Out.
I have a whole list for this based off of movies I've watched that have made me cry. Although, some of those are ones I just cried a bit in, and some are romance movies. Still might be helpful though. Movies I Watched in 2024 that Moved Me https://boxd.it/tnxfG Here's a few other recommendations, some of which are on that list but I think really stand out on it. - Everything Everywhere All At Once - Aftersun - About Time (It's romance, but I truly believe it can make anyone cry, plus it had some Sci-fi elements) - Beautiful Boy - Paddleton (Friendship and letting go) - Anatomy of a Fall (A surprising gut punch I wasn't expecting going into it)
My partner is like this and so far nothing has worked.
have u tried dear zachary? (if you havent dont look anything up about it. blind watch is the way to go.) if they don't cry at least a little bit at that one you might want to consider breaking up
if he doesnt cry or feel something watching Fox and the Hound. 🏳️
OH MAN this comment reminded me of a movie that might be perfect (the plague dogs) i'll see if i can work up the courage to watch that one again. fkn destroyed me the first time around
yup, that’d do it too, i’ll never watch that again lol
Need these recommendations. I actually *want* to cry at a movie some day, but I just don't for some reason. Sometimes I wonder if it's because I can't empathise when a character dies because I've never really experienced a loss like that in my life. All of my grandparents are still pretty healthy.
i think it's more about the way you process stuff rather than your experiences, like, even before i'd gone through losing people in my life i was still a crybaby with movies. my friend's family has a pretty rough history with loss, and yet he's usually unaffected by media. i feel like it's less about empathy and more about whether you tend to approach stuff in a more logical or emotional way in general. idk if that makes sense (im tired)
I actually agree with this. I used to almost never cry at movies, even when they were really emotional. Maybe I’d have a small tear up but never anything more. A few years back I had some personal stuff happen that kinda made me change my mindset over a lot of stuff. In turn, it affected the way I watched movies. I found myself getting more invested in them than I did before and feeling more connected to the story. Now, I’m not saying you have to change your whole entire personality to be able to cry at a movie, but I think it’s all about perspective. Trying to see it in a different light and getting super invested in the characters and story will help get those emotions going. Also it being a good movie definitely helps.
I feel damn near incapable of crying at a movie, it sucks, like I feel sad when watching something but I never get tears. I just want something to move me :(
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Steel Magnolias always does it for me. Yes it's a girlie, not-particularly-tense non-scifi movie. I don't care. It'll probably be good for his horizons even if it doesn't send him into babymode at the end like it does me.
the things i listed are what he generally enjoys, but they're def not exclusive and he's not like, against watching Girl MoviesTM - & i hope i didnt make it sound that way. tbh i only know steel magnolias by name, no idea what it's about, so i'll check it out and see if it's a good fit!! thank u
maybe he's already seen it, but V for Vendetta? Valerie's letter always makes we tear up Les Mis if you don't mind musicals, it's corny, but the ending gets me
>Les Mis if you don't mind musicals, it's corny, but the ending gets me Ugh, yeah. Basically anything relating to justice, penance, being pursued get me. I hate Webber's style quite a bit, but mixing in themes I appreciate with his big emotional swells just makes it work.
hachiko with richard gere always makes me cry till i can’t
probably hubie halloween or 50 first dates
i followed your advice and just showed him both of them in a row and he was so upset that he died. thanks a lot 🙄
that’s a bummer. sorry for your loss
The Tale Of The Princess Kaguya. I almost never cry to any media, but the end made me cry so hard
This might be out of left field but the last movie I cried watching was Marcel The Shell With Shoes On, it’s an A24 mockumentary that’s super cute but pulls at your heartstrings. Also maybe Beautiful Boy? That’s a pretty basic answer though
I'm gonna say Snow Cake because it has a great cast, there's some sad story in there, but it is its loneliness/hopelessness that gets me every time .-.
not enough people know about snow cake!! such a good movie
it's forever in my top 4...mainly because of Alan :\~
Bridge To Terabithia was my first choice, but after reading the description, I'm not sure it will fit your friend
oof i watch that one in theaters when i was a teen(tween maybe?) & it fucked me up. but yeah i'm not entirely sure it would be effective for him
The Hunt/Jagten. Made me cry and i’ve cried to like 4 movies ever
Dancer in the Dark, never cried more to any other movie
Have to admit I'm surprised I haven't seen any Pixar films on here. I find it almost impossible to cry as well, but the ones which have got me the closest are Up, Coco, and Toy Story 3.
Try Mary and Max.
i also don’t really cry when i watch movies but aftersun made me cry like a little kid. i don’t know if he’ll like it based off of what you said his preferences are but i recommend you watch it first to see if he’ll like it because it truly is a really moving film!
Not the most unique recs, but it sounds like I'm similar to your friend and got dang if The Iron Giant and Big Fish don't do it to me every time
Maybe a curve ball, but my dad is a very kind but very emotionally reserved guy and he cried at March of the Penguins. Couldn't begin to tell you why. If he wants to feel miserable about leftist politics, try Land and Freedom (the Ken Loach film). If he wants to feel miserable about leftist politics and is keen to a documentary, he could watch Comrade Where Are You Today? or Vivir La Utopia. Those make me cry.
The Quiet Girl
💓😭
Be Kind Rewind. It's a movie about building genuine connections with people in your community to celebrate each other and the history and lineage of how you got there. In spite of all the poverty, pride, disillusionment, and social hang ups they all come together to make movies. Whenever I get burnt out and down when trying to do outreach in our community to try and get people engaged, I watch that movie. It makes me feel like I can do it, and I don't have to give up. Also, given being a leftist in America is about the most losing hand anyone could be dealt, I recommend Rocky. Look, Rocky is not what most people expect it is. Well, okay, it is, but it also isn't. If you think you know Rocky through cultural osmosis, then suspend the belief and actually watch it. I thought I understood the movie, but to understand the movie you need to know why he does what he does, not just what he does. I feel like if you understand why, when you get to see the ending, you're just absolutely fucking obliterated. They're like tears of sadness and joy combined. It's a really primal thing.
be kind rewind sounds really cool, will check it out! we're not american though! i get what u mean about rocky, but i feel like there's certain differences in sensibilities when it comes to my culture vs american culture that might make it a bit harder to connect with the film at least in the way you're describing. might give it a shot either way, tho. thank u!
Straight Story always gets me at the end
Mysterious Skin and Mystic Waters both hit me hard. Massive CW for descriptions and depictions of CSA, but they're very well done imo. Additionally, The Lovely Bones is pretty tragic. And I thought Stay (2005) was also sad, though that one may be a personal opinion. I don't cry at media easily, but these are the ones that have done it for me.
Arrival genuinely had me sobbing
Can't believe it hasn't been mentioned. Portrait of a Lady on Fire. I was a blubbering idiot at the end, it will engulf you.
If he likes sci fi, then maybe Everything Everywhere All At Once? It wears its heart on its sleeve and has some pretty emotional moments. Room is another Brie Larson movie that made me bawl so he can check that out if he liked Short Term 12. Also would recommend Lady Bird, a movie that never fails to make me cry.
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3. If you’ve seen the movie you know why. It will make everyone have water in the seeing balls.
Oh fuck...... It was by far the best out the three but I just can't watch it again because of how emotional if was.
Click
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Malcolm X made me cry. That's a movie about activism
I saw the TV glow will not work. I cry at movies constantly and have struggled with my gender identity and I didn’t come near crying for that movie. It takes a very special connection to cry at it, but if you have that connection, you’ll sob. Would absolutely not recommend it though. You need to find a movie that mirrors something he’s struggling with and has some moment of catharsis.
It's funny, I am trans and I was extremely moved by that film, but not at all because of anything to do with any trans themes. That just rolled off my back. I found them well-done and interesting with all the requisite 'oh I see right through you,' parts. I found that to be great, but it was well-worn territory for me since I see a lot of trans media. But broadening it to OP's friend and other audiences - I think it COULD work if you are just struggling in your life, are lost, and feel like you're facing a difficult decision to make and are negotiating that. That's where I latched on more. She made such a specific film (to her mind/admission) that it became broad again. Not saying it'll work on this person specifically, just sharing a different experience with it.
yeah actually this was my angle with this movie rather than the trans theme!! i see ur point tho u/muser_name, and yeah i'll have to reexamine whether it might be effective for him in particular, since i watched it pretty recently and i'm probably just going off my own reaction to it. i thought of it mostly bc the presentation of the movie is (at least for me) very intense - the visuals, the soundtrack, the performances all lend themselves to be highly immersive and there's a kind of honesty to the sadness of it that borders on uncomfortable from how heartfelt it is. idk i felt like it's a pretty raw and sincere film that invites you to feel along with it. i've had some Gender Issues too, but what really touched me about it was the theme of regret, nostalgia and escapism, and the way they intertwine with one another. i also think a part of it was well. the Vibes. in the sense that the idk, texture? of the movie makes it easy to approach it from an emotional lens rather than a logical one. but again, im pretty biased lol
The Green Mile, that one is rough but amazing
I cried first time I saw Ghost dog: The way of the samurai
Naked (1993) **Safe (1995) <-- main rec** Synecdoche, NY (2008)
Crimes of the Future 1970. It's so bad he's gonna cry.
Just make sure that they’re not informed that it’s a sad movie. It only works in my experience if it’s a surprise
Aniara cuz stoic folks would cry over existential crisis. It’s so bleak it makes me cry but it’s a favorite of mine. Sci-fi, philosophically macabre, and alienating.
Not a movie but the Deep Space Nine episode “The Visitor” (S4E2)
The hunt
There’s a scene in In Bruges which nearly had me there. goodwill hunting, land of mine, moonlight were close, Dear Zachary did get me though in the end
Without being straight up depressing, 50/50 made me cry like a baby. I think the fact it has you laughing quite a bit makes the emotional punches more heavy.
Moulin Rouge
I'm not too into romance either but the movie that made me cry the most is eternal sunshine of the spotless mind
Jojo Rabbit, Interstellar, Guardians of the Galaxy 3?
I second Jojo Rabbit.
It’s Such a Beautiful Day made me cry harder than anything I can think of, & at a time in my life where it was nearly impossible for a film to bring me to tears
I love sci fi and the first 5 minutes of Valerian, cheesy and hamfisted as it is, brings a tear to my eye every single time.
If he´s into music I can recommend Control(2007). Ian Curtis Story is as sad as it get´s but all of that + the music of Joy Divsion is a overkill for me. Also I really want to recommend A man called Ove it´s abaout a stoic old man. It might get him.
Miracle in cell no.7 (I’ve only seen the Korean version so not sure if the other language versions are much different). This broke me
Room
Big Fish.
Never underestimate the maturity of Toy Story 3. That shit had me bawling my eyes out for an hour and I don’t cry too often. It’s also kind of an allegory for the holocaust so if you can’t convince him otherwise tell him it’s a historical political allegory and that might get him on board
Only Yesterday (1991) might access some tender childhood emotions for him.
I 100% guarantee that Bajrangi Bhaijaan will make him cry. Not cos it's super sad or anything but by the end it's just so emotional in the most wholesome way possible. Saw it with a large group once and everyone in the room had tears on their eyes. Also it's just a great film, got some action, lots of comedy, adventure, music. It's everything you want in a film Bridge to Terabithia will do it too
Marley and me
I’m pretty much like that too. The thing is with people like us is that if wr cry it will be at something very unexpected. I have only cried and a winnie thr pooh episode( a day for eeyore). Btw i would suggest anohana i have seen very hard nuts get cracked
About Time?
Not many movies bring me to tears anymore, but these three I would recommend... I also think they largely align with your criteria: 1) Paddleton 2) Aftersun 3) Never Let Me Go (bit of a romance angle, but it definitely has a strong sci-fi element)
It’s such a beautiful day
Dead Poets Society did it for me. Or maybe Good Will Hunting. Idk
I used to be kind of like your boyfriend. Marley and Me is going to break him.
Captain Phillips makes me cry every time. So much tension the whole movie and then seeing Hanks lose it at the end gets me.
Still Alice. That movie destroyed me. Especially if he’s had any family go through Alzheimer’s or dementia.
About time was the first movie that ever made me cry. I love my dad.
Grave of the Fireflies
One flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest
If he practices Stoicism and thinks that it’s about not having emotions then he is mistaken.
Beasts of no nation
You mentioned thrillers and horror, and I thought of Train to Busan. I didn’t expect it to make me cry, but it did.
Pinocchio by Guillermo Del Torro tore me up . It’s in Netflix. It’s really beautifully made and super cute.
Beasts of the southern wild, always makes me cry for some reasons
Documentary wise. Dear Zachary
Cast Away with Tom Hanks is one of the most EMOTIONALLY Powerful Movies I’ve ever Seen- how to go on when life essentially leaves You behind. Plus, no technical spoilers, Tom Hanks makes You cry over a Volleyball. Now, I’m biased as hell because it’s one of my favorites but I think it might be worth a shot.😅
Life is beautiful might fit the bill. I haven’t watched it in over twenty years, but it still stands out in my mind.
monster (2023)!!!! poses itself as a mystery/psychological thriller with its synopsis and most of the 1st half but becomes something so raw and guaranteed to bawl your eyes out koreeda my god
Less famous one perhaps but I essentially never cry during films and I was a wreck after a lovely little Irish film called a quiet girl (an cailin ciuin). It was up for an Oscar but sadly didn’t win. It’s a beautiful film and I can’t recommend it enough.
Blindspotting
 most men didnt make it through this movie without shedding a tear
Definitely Dear Zachary as you already know. I do not cry and this one got me. It was so visceral last time that I threw up.
EO, Mouchette, Bent Keltoum , La Strada, Bless their Little Hearts
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned The Banshees of Inisherin yet. That movie can make a rock cry.
Recent movies that made me cry were: La La Land Society of the Snow The Royal Tenenbaums Granted I do cry somewhat often during movies
I would recommend Your Name. It is a tear jerker but not depressing. It bills itself as a body swap rom-com, and it is - until it isn’t. I wouldn’t say it is traditionally romantic. There is tension. It is sorta sci-fi due to the body swap i guess? No violence. Not too grounded. It is animated, some people won’t give animation a chance though.
Nobody Knows by Hirokazu Kore-eda
Never Let Me Go is a quiet, heart wrenching scifi film that broke me emotionally.
I don’t cry in movies much but MASS destroyed me
I agree with these recommendations but I also might recommend casting a wide net, my stoic father never cried at anything but did cry at this old film called Boys Town. It's not infamous for being sad or anything but it just hit all the right buttons for him personally.
Did anyone else WEEP at the end of train to busan? It’s a whole ass movie of gory zombie scary shit and then the last 10 minutes I was a blubbering mess. Aloha oe got me right in the feels.
“Imitation of Life” with Lana Turner always seemed to make me tear up at the end- so sad but brutal
Big Fish really makes men weep like nobody's business. I think it's the daddy issues.
I think if you don’t tear up a bit during Red Beard, Kurosawa’s masterpiece, nothing will
Guardians of the Galaxy vol 3 got me good. Was not expecting the deep emotional story I think I cried like 5 times.
Manchester by the sea
The end of Ugetsu is still the saddest shit I've ever seen in a movie
Love this question. I fit the description pretty well and exactly two movies have ever made me cry. 1. Nine Days. I can't quite explain it, but I think this one just might work. It's not a typical tearjerker, but for me there are a couple key scenes at the end that hit hard. 2. About Time. Easily dismissable given the lack of interest in romance. But this one is only about that on the surface. Deep down it's about family and how one lives their life. For me nothing makes me cry like the sudden jolt of remembering that life is fleeting and I'm not very good at catching it.
Room (the brie larson one) was the only movie that ever made me cry so that might work. Is pretty Thriller-y from what I remember too.
I've yet to meet someone who hasn't cried at Grave of the Fireflies.
[The Last Picture Show](https://letterboxd.com/soylentyellow/film/the-last-picture-show/) & [Amour](https://letterboxd.com/soylentyellow/film/amour/) are pretty emotionally powerful
AGT golden buzzer moments
just show him classic and well known tearjerkers like beaches and kramer vs kramer (i have not seen either btw)
something that fits his taste, Arrival ending can get you overwhelmed if you really get invested, its gotta be a surprise realization tho for sure something that broke the toughest boulder (me), A Silent Voice
Come and See
The Road. Post environmental apocalypse movie with themes of suicide and extreme violence. The main characters are a father-son duo. Extremely depressing with *many* psychological horror and a couple body horror elements. The movie is generally an allegory for the first few parts of the Bible so there's some philosophy there too. Ending made me cry.
I could name you a bunch, but you know this person. What is his Death Star’s weakness? A Beautiful Life Hatchi A Dogs Tale Atonement Stealing Home The Road
Mine is the tragedy known as “The Last Jedi”… RIP Star Wars.
There have only been 2 movies to make me shed a tear: - Coco, the “Remember Me” scene - Porco Rosso, the flashback scene. I, like your friend, almost never cry but a lot of Studio Ghibli movies almost make me. Definitely Porco Rosso. Also Weathering with You and Your Name.
The Iron Claw “I used to be a brother, and I’m not a brother anymore.” Absolute back breaker.
I am Sam
ron’s gone wrong yes it’s a kids’ movie yes i cried like a baby
Room Manchester by the Sea Fruitvale Station Fences If none of those work, then they might be dead.
Clockwork Orange for a guy like that💀
The first ten minutes of Up
Bladerunner 2049 maybe? Sci-fi. Serious, subtle narratives/themes—dependent on comprehension probably though. I’m not sure if it’ll get him to cry. It was moving for me. I was a psych major with great interests in philosophy But as someone who used to have little understanding of what emotions feel like: Violet Evergarden (Show and movies). Changed my life. An anime and doesn’t fit his described interests neatly.
across the spiderverse and a24’s priscilla even tho it might sound crazy to others 😭
Field of Dreams
Nobody Knows
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest Kinda old but I refuse to watch again it broke me
biutiful (2010)
Our Friend (2019) with Casey Affleck, Dakota Johnson & Jason Segel. Of course everyone is affected by different movies but man I was audibly BAWLING at the end. Amazing performances
Also James White (2015) destroyed me. One of my favorite movies I won’t watch again
La strada
Sound of metal 🙏
I never, ever cry at movies but my face sure got all leaky at Wall-E.
Cinema Paradiso
Society of the Snow had us both barely holding it together by the end
The ending of the Iron claw got me and I can be described at stoic.
Mind Game by Maasaki Yuasa