The 7 Saddest Movies Of The Past 10 Years
When we think of the saddest movies, profound tragedies are likely what come to mind for so many of us—the war films, genocides, and unthinkable losses that change people. Sophie's Choice (1982) is still something so many people think about and have never revisited the film after their initial viewing. There are a myriad of sad movies that are released yearly, some that even fly under the radar. Those of us who read the book are prepared to be utterly wrecked during The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping (2026) People also rightfully avoid most movies where something bad happens to pets.
At the same time, there's something incredibly cathartic about certain sad movies and how they help us find comfort in our own pain. Here are seven of the saddest movies of the last decade, as well as where you can watch them on Prime Video, Disney+, and more.
Coco is such a breathtaking feature, and very much a happy story by the end, but it wrecks you beyond belief over the possibilities it presents. Death and grief aren't easy emotions to deal with, regardless, but as Coco presents us with the realization that people can fade away in the afterlife when there's no one to remember them back home, I lose it every single time. Couple that scene with the one where Mama Coco recognizes her late father in the photograph, and I'm a goner.
The movie hits especially hard if you've lost a parent, and it breaks you when you think that there's no hope. And if you're a sap like me, an earned happy ending with everyone visiting during the next year's Día de Muertos makes the movie the saddest and loveliest, simultaneously. It's a must-watch for those wanting to feel a little less alone in their grief.
Room is the type of movie that's so hard to watch at times that I genuinely believe few can ever rewatch it. I can't. The story can also be deeply triggering for people who have a hard time stomaching narratives that involve rape, abuse, and suicide because it features depictions of all three. However, the end result is a gripping movie about a woman's strength, unyielding love, and resilience.
Both Brie Larson and Jacob Tremblay bring such exceptional performances that the movie feels alarmingly real as we're watching it. Based on the novel by Emma Donoghue, Room also does an incredible job of not telling its audience how to feel, but showing us a story around difficult decisions and the confines women are forced into, whether that's physical or emotional. It's worth watching at least once, but be gentle with yourselves when you do.
Little Women is an interesting one because we all know the story. We know what's coming, and yet, for a number of reasons, it's also a comfort film. The 1994 version is a bit easier to watch, but Greta Gerwig's always wrecks me beyond words, mostly because of Laura Dern's performance as Marmee March and the way she leans on Saoirse Ronan's Jo the morning after Beth's passing.
The loss of a parent is always horrible, but I feel the word devastating was crafted for the loss of children, the younger people who've had so much ahead of them. It's every parent's nightmare, and how this version shows the insurmountable loss with one single scene makes it so haunting. I watch the movie every year and sob every single time we lose Beth. But don't let the sadness deter you. This adaptation is one for the ages and a must-watch for how it depicts different women with authentic representation that feels achingly relatable.
As another movie that centers around the loss of a young child, Hamnet captures the horrific grief through a hauntingly unforgettable movie based on Maggie O'Farrell's bestselling novel of the same title. Scholars don't know the exact cause of death that took playwright William Shakespeare's only son (and the obvious inspiration for his renowned tragedy, Hamlet), but the story still does an impeccable job of showcasing how grief and art intermingle into something indescribable.
Jessie Buckley delivers what might just be the best performance of the decade as Agnes Shakespeare (Anne Hathaway) in what'll likely always be one of the most memorable book-to-screen adaptations. Go in with tissues prepped because this one's darker and more harrowing than most stories with a similar premise. Still, it's worth every minute as a breathtaking depiction of a mother's unconditional love and all the ways grief changes a family.
Remakes interestingly have the ability to make the original stories a little lighter, but unlike Little Women, A Star Is Born is so heartbreaking that I, for one, can never rewatch it after my initial viewing. The world itself is dark, but it also feels like countless people today are battling the thoughts in their heads, too. As our mental health has declined, movies like A Star Is Born feel even more real, raw, and unthinkably heartbreaking.
Music also has a way of being twice as evocative in a way that makes every sad emotion harder to describe, and with a voice as powerful as Lady Gaga's, the final few moments of the movie are unreal. The performances that she and Bradley Cooper deliver throughout the movie make it a brilliant adaptation that's so full of heart and heavy heartbreak, you can't help but feel the weight of it all. If you're in the mood for a haunting sadness and brilliant performances, this one's a must-watch.
Ava DuVernay's Origin unfortunately flew under the radar, hidden by limited promotion and selective theatrical releases. And yet, it's not only one of the most impactful movies of the last decade, but it's also a stark reminder of how much tragedy happens right under our noses while we go about our everyday lives. The story is a brilliantly told biopic that centers around the writing process of Isabel Wilkerson's novel Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.
DuVernay is the type of storyteller who doesn't shy away from exploring the historical heartaches that most people forget about after a few news segments or two. No, she rightfully ensures that we sit with all the uncomfortable emotions and ask ourselves why or how or what we can do to have more empathy in the world. If you appreciated the brilliance and raw account of history in When They See Us (2019), then Origin is a must-watch for countless reasons.
Brought to life with a breathtaking performance from Dev Patel, Lion is the type of sad movie that so many people watched with their whole families, and everyone blubbered afterward. While the film glamorizes bits of Saroo Brierley's story of finding his way back home 25 years later, Dev Patel's embodiment ensures that it comes across as a raw, honest depiction of a boy's resilience.
The desperation for hope and the need to see good things coming to pass that so many of us possess as humans is exactly what makes movies like Lion such a tearjerker. We want to believe that if Saroo Brierley could find his way back home, then other kids could, too. We want to cling to this idea that there can be happy endings after immense, unimaginable tragedies. From the past to the present, every little moment in Lion breaks your heart and simultaneously stitches it back together. If you want a good, cathartic cry, don't miss it.
