Tearjerkers: the movies and shows that will wreck you

618 dramas and romances tagged emotional weight 3 of 3. Have tissues nearby and nothing planned after.

1. 1Breaking Bad (2008) · seriesMildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MAA chemistry teacher's bleak diagnosis ignites a darkly-comic, relentless spiral into the criminal underworld.Netflix87
2. 2The Shawshank Redemption (1994)Light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · measured · RAn innocent man's integrity and unquenchable hope shine through decades of gritty prison life.87
3. 3The Godfather (1972)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA crime family saga unfolds with measured, gritty suspense, building an epic and melancholy atmosphere.Paramount+ · MGM+
4. 4Interstellar (2014)No gore · emotionally devastating · measured · PG-13Explorers traverse a wormhole, confronting vast distances and the melancholy of a dying Earth.Prime Video · Paramount+88
5. 5Game of Thrones (2011) · seriesMildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MANoble families clash in an epic, gritty war for control, while an ancient evil awakens in the frozen north.Max94
6. 6Fight Club (1999)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RAn insomniac and a soap salesman unleash primal aggression, igniting a darkly comic, surreal spiral toward oblivion.87
7. 7Schindler's List (1993)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA German businessman confronts the bleak realities of war, saving lives with earnest defiance and measured hope.
8. 8Parasite (2019)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA poor family's grift of the wealthy Parks escalates into a darkly comic and bleakly suspenseful class struggle.Kanopy90
9. 9The Green Mile (1999)Mildly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · ROn death row, a gentle giant's miraculous gift brings both healing and profound melancholy to a gritty prison.
10. 10The Godfather Part II (1974)Graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · measured · RA crime family's epic saga unfolds with melancholy, as a son expands the empire his father built.Paramount+ · MGM+
11. 11GoodFellas (1990)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA Brooklyn kid's rise through the Mafia is a relentless, gritty, and darkly satirical crime epic.82
12. 12Chernobyl (2019) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · emotionally devastating · measured · TV-MAA measured, bleak drama unfolds as brave souls confront a catastrophic nuclear disaster with tense, earnest resolve.Max
13. 13Whiplash (2014)No gore · emotionally devastating · relentless · RA young drummer's pursuit of perfection under a ruthless instructor becomes a relentless, gritty battle for his soul.89
14. 14Better Call Saul (2015) · seriesLight gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · measured · TV-MAA small-time lawyer's darkly comic hustles slowly transform him into a criminal underworld's fixer.Netflix
15. 15Peaky Blinders (2013) · seriesMildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MAA gangster family in 1919 Birmingham rises through the criminal underworld with gritty, suspenseful ambition.Netflix
16. 16Shutter Island (2010)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · RA marshal's investigation into a missing patient unravels amidst chilling visions and a pervasive sense of dread.Paramount+ · Starz83
17. 17Life Is Beautiful (1997)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · PG-13A whimsical father crafts an elaborate game to shield his son from the heartbreaking reality of a concentration camp.Paramount+ · MGM+
18. 18The Silence of the Lambs (1991)Properly scary · graphic gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · RA brilliant, imprisoned psychopath offers chilling insights into a serial killer's mind, if a young agent dares to listen.Prime Video · Criterion86
19. 19Léon: The Professional (1994)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA hardened hitman becomes the reluctant protector of a young girl seeking vengeance in a brutal world.YouTube (free) · Tubi
20. 20Gladiator (2000)Graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · measured · RA betrayed general fights for honor in the brutal Roman arena, fueled by vengeance and sorrow.Paramount+ · Kanopy85
21. 21Joker (2019)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA measured descent into madness unfolds as a comedian's dark satire fuels Gotham's gritty, bleak chaos.Max
22. 22One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975)Mildly scary · strong violence · emotionally devastating · brisk · RA petty criminal fakes insanity, sparking a gritty, suspenseful battle against a domineering nurse.
23. 23The Pianist (2002)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · RA gifted pianist navigates the bleak, war-torn ruins of Warsaw, fighting for survival and dignity.Prime Video · Kanopy · The Roku Channel
24. 24The Prestige (2006)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · PG-13Two rival magicians engage in a cerebral and darkly-comic battle of obsession with deadly consequences.86
25. 25Saving Private Ryan (1998)Mildly scary · extreme gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA squad of soldiers battles across a war-torn landscape to save one man, as history unfolds around them.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla86
26. 26American History X (1998)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA reformed skinhead confronts his violent past and the devastating impact it has on his younger brother.
27. 27The Departed (2006)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RUndercover lives collide in a gritty, relentless game of cat and mouse within Boston's criminal underworld.82
28. 28Grave of the Fireflies (1988)Light gore · emotionally devastating · measured · NRTwo siblings cling to each other amidst wartime devastation, finding fleeting warmth in a world turned cold.Netflix
29. 29The Sopranos (1999) · seriesMildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MAA New Jersey mob boss navigates his two families, where the darkly comic and bleakly intimate collide.Max83
30. 30Hacksaw Ridge (2016)Mildly scary · extreme gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RAn earnest medic in WWII refuses to kill, facing gritty combat and earning an epic honor.
31. 31City of God (2002)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RTwo young men navigate Rio's favelas, one documenting the relentless crime, the other embracing its brutal power.Paramount+ · Kanopy · Hoopla
32. 32Euphoria (2019) · seriesLight gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · measured · TV-MAHigh school students navigate intimate, bleak, and surreal dramas where love and trauma intertwine.Max
33. 33Good Will Hunting (1997)No gore · emotionally devastating · measured · RA brilliant but troubled young man finds his way with the help of a compassionate therapist.Paramount+ · MGM+
34. 34Dark (2017) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MAA missing child unravels a bleak, surreal mystery spanning generations, forcing families to confront their intertwined, gritty past.Netflix
35. 35Band of Brothers (2001) · seriesMildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MAAn earnest, gritty, and bleak true story unfolds with measured pace through epic WWII battles.Max
36. 36The Walking Dead (2010) · seriesProperly scary · extreme gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MAA sheriff awakens to a bleak, zombie-filled world, fighting to find family among desperate survivors.Netflix · Pluto TV
37. 37Scarface (1983)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA relentless, gritty crime drama follows a ruthless ascent through Miami's cocaine empire, ending bleakly.Netflix
38. 38The Last of Us (2023) · seriesMildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MAA hardened survivor and a 14-year-old girl form an unlikely bond while navigating a bleak, dangerous world.Max
39. 39WandaVision (2021) · seriesMildly scary · emotionally devastating · measured · TV-14Idealized suburban lives unravel as two super-powered beings confront a whimsical, melancholic, and surreal mystery.Disney+
40. 40House of the Dragon (2022) · seriesMildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MAA king's choice of heir ignites a brutal, dynasty-destroying war, even with dragons at their command.Max
41. 41Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)No gore · emotionally devastating · measured · RA man erases memories of a lost love, only to find his heart still clinging to their surreal romance.
42. 42Apocalypse Now (1979)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA soldier's intimate, surreal journey upriver reveals the bleak, gritty heart of war.Plex
43. 43Titanic (1997)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · PG-13A young woman's forbidden love story unfolds with epic romance and melancholy aboard a doomed maiden voyage.Paramount+ · Starz · Kanopy76
44. 44Grey's Anatomy (2005) · seriesLight gore · emotionally devastating · measured · TV-14Doctors navigate intimate, earnest relationships and melancholy challenges, finding heartwarming moments in a measured pace.Netflix · Hulu
45. 45Once Upon a Time in America (1984)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA sprawling crime saga unfolds with melancholic grit as a gangster confronts his past in a slowly burning epic.
46. 46Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009) · seriesMildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · TV-14Two brothers risk everything to restore their bodies, battling corrupt forces in a brisk, epic adventure.Netflix · Hulu · Crunchyroll
47. 47The Imitation Game (2014)No gore · emotionally devastating · measured · PG-13A brilliant code-breaker races against time during wartime, facing a gritty, suspenseful, and ultimately tragic challenge.Kanopy · Hoopla · Tubi
48. 48Taxi Driver (1976)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA disturbed cabbie navigates a bleak city, his measured descent into violence feeling intensely intimate.Tubi
49. 49Prisoners (2013)Mildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · RA father's desperate search for his missing daughter descends into a bleak, gritty, and atmospheric nightmare.YouTube (free)84
50. 50Full Metal Jacket (1987)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RA pragmatic marine endures the dehumanizing grind of boot camp and the bleakness of war-torn Vietnam.Max · YouTube (free)
51. 51The Wire (2002) · seriesLight gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · measured · TV-MABaltimore detectives and drug crews navigate a bleak, measured world where good and evil blur in a war on drugs.Max
52. 52Gone Girl (2014)Mildly scary · light gore · emotionally devastating · measured · RA husband's missing wife ignites a media frenzy, revealing a darkly comic and intimate mystery.Netflix86
53. 53Black Mirror (2011) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MAEach standalone story explores the chilling, darkly comedic consequences of technology on human society.Netflix
54. 54Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)Light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · measured · RA grieving mother's darkly comedic quest for justice ignites a small-town war with measured, gritty suspense.Max
55. 55A Silent Voice: The Movie (2016)No gore · emotionally devastating · measured · NRA young man tormented by his past seeks redemption from the deaf girl he once bullied.Crunchyroll
56. 561917 (2019)Mildly scary · graphic gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · RTwo young soldiers race across enemy lines, their desperate mission shaping a relentless, gritty, and epic journey.Netflix
57. 57Squid Game (2021) · seriesProperly scary · extreme gore · brutal violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MADesperate players enter a brutal competition of children's games, where deadly stakes drive relentless, bleak suspense.Netflix74
58. 58American Beauty (1999)No gore · emotionally devastating · measured · RA suburban father's mid-life crisis becomes a darkly comic, melancholy, and intimate satire.Hoopla
59. 59Mr. Robot (2015) · seriesMildly scary · light gore · strong violence · emotionally devastating · TV-MAA brilliant hacker navigates a bleak, surreal world, weaponizing his skills against corporate America.
60. 60Oppenheimer (2023)Light gore · emotionally devastating · measured · RA cerebral and gritty history unfolds, charting the earnest, suspenseful development of a world-changing weapon.Peacock · Fandango at Home (free)79

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