15 Movies That Will Hit You Hard Emotionally

“Castaway. Helen Hunt was on screen for what felt like only about 30 minutes in the movie, but her portrayal of a woman who lost someone so important but somehow learned to love again, then to lose them again, was a gut punch. I loved everything about Tom Hanks’ acting in this movie but it was Helen Hunt who made it truly memorable for me.” — noopcm

“The Pianist. After I finished the movie, it just dawned on me that this could really happen to anyone. We take our periods of peace for granted, as one day we might be put in a similar situation where we lose everything, and that really fucked with me hard.” — dat_classy_lynx

“I watched Atonement, having never read the book. For me, that ending was absolutely gut-wrenching and I just sat there in the dark crying my eyes out when it was over. I legit thought there was going to be a happy ending and then, no.” — chipmalfunction

“What Dreams May Come leaves me a sobbing mess through the whole movie.” — ammdh

“Pan’s Labyrinth. The ending was heartbreaking, but honestly the whole movie was just sad and violent. Highly recommend it though.” — darkeyedemon

“Children of Men. I watch it once a year with someone who hasn’t seen it before because seeing them go through that rollercoaster and sit in stunned silence afterwards reminds me of what it was like when I saw it when it first came out. What a gut punch of a movie.” — UglyInThMorning

“Life is Beautiful. The kid’s dad gets him to believe the concentration camp is just a game and everyone is in on it like it’s a special adventure to protect him from the horrors they faced.” — justhewayouare

“When I watched Bridge to Terabithia I thought this is not so bad, what is everyone talking about? Pretty wholesome overall, and then it happened and I cried like a baby.” — emopest

“Schindler’s List. The end just keeps on socking you in the gut. When they make him that ring. Oh I’m done.” — cosmocreamer

“Grave of the Fireflies . I watched it with my friend back in the early 90s. My sister happened to stop by near the end. We were both ugly crying. She was like… ‘Are you ok? what’s going on?’ It was hard to explain. I took my kids to see it during a Ghibli Fest last year, and I could hardly drive home afterwards. We were all sobbing.” — garaklover

“The ending of CoCo had my wife bawling like crazy because her grandmother has Alzheimer’s.” — amsfer9

“Arrival. If you’ve never seen it, quit reading now. SPOILERS: When you realize that she knew that her daughter was going to die, but she got pregnant anyway. And that her husband would find out that she could have chosen to spare him from having to suffer the devastating loss of his child. But she had her anyway. All while knowing that her husband would leave her and never forgive her, because she had the knowledge to prevent the pain. But she chose to love the child for the time she could, KNOWING ALL ALONG that it would cause her to lose everything.” — BruciePup

“Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind has never not hit me hard.” — rake2204

“Dead Poets Society. I cry every time I watch that movie and especially when I realize Robin Williams is no longer alive.” — wanderful__soul

“Good Will Hunting. Hit a little too close to home.” — Darnitol1