As an art form, film can be a powerful and emotional means of expressing and exploring the hardest parts of life. While there are plenty of fun films that use spectacle and comedy to tell wondrous tales, some of the ones that really leave an impression on audiences are the ones that tear out their hearts. A great example of that is If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025), which is enjoying an international focus following its Oscar nomination for star Rose Byrne.
Some movies are undeniably compelling, even if their subject matter and tragic tone make it hard to necessarily recommend for an easy night of entertainment. Some of the movies on this list are grounded portrayals of crumbling families, harrowing tales of man’s evils, or even fantastical tales that push the limits of reality with a surreal touch. All of them are well-made, and each of them deserves to be seen on Netflix, Prime Video, and more—just be warned, you likely won’t be revisiting any of them again any time soon.
If I Had Legs I’d Kick You (2025)
A terrific and tense anti-comedy, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is the kind of intense personal spiral that will leave audiences gasping for air. Rose Byrne turns in one of the best performances of her career as a mother on the edge of a breakdown, especially as her family, colleagues, and the world around her refuse to meet her halfway. The result is a tense movie that embraces the kind of white-knuckled intensity found in thrillers like Uncut Gems (2019).
While the movie is definitely funny at times, especially whenever it lets Conan O’Brien play against his normal type as a self-serious fellow therapist to Byrne’s Linda, there’s a constant state of anxiety around every decision and every interaction that makes the film hard to watch at times. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You is a phenomenal film and a great pick for any fans of the Safdie Brothers, but it's exactly the type of movie that’s hard to revisit precisely because of what makes it so good.
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Studio Ghibli has delivered some heartbreaking turns over the years, but nothing quite hits like the wartime tragedy of Grave of the Fireflies. Set against the backdrop of the final days of World War II in Japan, the film follows a pair of siblings as they struggle to survive the collapse of Imperial Japan. Beautifully animated and heartwrenchingly brought to life by filmmakers like director Isao Takahata, Grave of the Fireflies is a somber reflection on the innocents lost amid the chaos of war.
Grave of the Fireflies is one of cinema's most potent tearjerkers, especially as the narrative progresses and it becomes obvious that there's little chance for the two orphans to survive, let alone thrive. A phenomenal piece of filmmaking that retains the craft of other films from the studio like Spirited Away (2001), there's a heartbreaking core to Grave of the Fireflies that makes it far less rewatchable than the other entries from the studio—but no less impactful or memorable.
Requiem For a Dream (2000)
Darren Aronofsky’s most emotionally devastating film, Requiem for a Dream’s meditation on the impact of addiction is the definition of harrowing. The film, which focuses on several people as their lives are destroyed due to the result of substance abuse, features a lot of very dark turns that increasingly paints a grim portrait of modern society. It’s a tough movie to digest, with a dark tone and grim tenor that befits the filmmaker’s other movies.
Aronofsky has other movies on this list, but Requiem for a Dream stands out as an especially harsh portrayal of the modern world that can be particularly haunting, with purposefully unlikable characters and emotionally devastating arcs that are designed to deliver an experience that’s far from enjoyable or entertaining, but regardless, remains a deeply engaging and painful drama. If you love a good gritty story, this is a great—if haunting—pick.
Beau Is Afraid (2023)
A painfully awkward experience, audiences who can’t stand cringey social situations will find Beau is Afraid to be a more horrifying film than anything Jason Voorhees has starred in. Ari Aster has proven to be a uniquely gifted filmmaker, whose movies like Hereditary (2018), Midsommar (2019), and Eddington (2025) use genre conventions to engage with the difficult realities of life.
One of the filmmaker's most ambitious and strange films, Beau is Afraid is rooted in social and personal anxiety, with a surreal bent that makes it an interesting parallel to movies like Adaptation (2001) or Being John Malkovich (1999). It's a great cinematic experiment, but one that can be difficult to reengage with, especially if even the cringeworthy comedy of The Office (2005) or Friendship (2025) can feel too unsettling.
The Fountain (2006)
A tragic romantic epic for the ages, the underlying grief at the heart of The Fountain makes it a hard film to return to. Starring Hugh Jackman and Rachel Weisz, The Fountain follows a pair of lovers through three distinct time periods—but rather than focusing on the power of love, the story is far more focused on a reflection of grief across time and space.
Similar to other genre experiments rooted in dealing with grief, like Solaris (2002) and A Ghost Story (2017), The Fountain highlights the heartbreaking pain of grief and how easily it can linger across lifetimes, despite the enduring power of love. Heartwrenching and beautifully constructed, The Fountain is a hard movie to revisit after seeing it once.
Marriage Story (2019)
As with plenty of other films about divorce and failed romances, Marriage Story is a painfully human and emotionally raw movie that’s hard to revisit after you see it for the first time. Starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver as a couple whose relationship is collapsing around them, Marriage Story paints a devastating portrait of a man and woman who genuinely care about each other but have grown distant and even disdainful of each other. Similar to movies like Kramer vs. Kramer (1979) and The Squid and the Whale (2005), there’s an emotional rawness to Marriage Story that makes it hard to look away from the collapse of the central relationship, making it equally tough to come back as a return viewer once you know how poorly things will play out.
Mother! (2017)
One of Darren Aronofsky’s most experimental approaches to filmmaking, Mother! is a purposefully strange, surreal, and confrontational movie. The film stars Jennifer Lawrence as Mother in a heady biblical allegory that generated just as many boos as cheers from critics when it debuted.
Outrageous and singularly bizarre in the same style that David Lynch films are so memorable, the film is difficult to return to due to its stranger touches, and it's the definition of a movie that's purposefully hard to watch. There’s something quietly poetic about Lawrence’s performance, however, that makes it hard to look away from. The strange and singular qualities of Mother! make it a definite must-watch for anyone who enjoys experimental filmmaking like Mulholland Drive (2000) or Andrzej Zulawski's Possession (1981).
Sophie’s Choice (1982)
One of cinema’s most infamous tearjerkers and a great example of dramatic filmmaking, Sophie’s Choice is a must-watch for any cinephile, and it is also incredibly hard to revisit after you see it for the first time. One of Meryl Streep’s most haunting performances, Sophie’s Choice focuses on the aftermath of World War II and highlights the impossible choices people had to make to survive.
With one of film’s most heartwrenching final scenes, Sophie’s Choice is the epitome of a movie that has to be commended on every technical level, but is near impossible to watch on a purely entertainment level. Similar to the likes of Schindler’s List (1993), Sophie’s Choice is devastating, effective, and an amazing film that, nevertheless, audiences will likely only be able to make it through once.
