8 Movie Scenes to Watch When You’re Looking for a Good Cry

There’s a lot to cry about in this world but why wait to be given a reason when you can find one yourself? 

A good score and a good death. An emotional goodbye or emotional turmoil. A quick death or a slow one. There are endless scenes across endless movies designed to wrench a sob out of even the most cold-hearted person.  

These scenes stay with us. Yet despite the ache, the pain, and the tears, we keep returning to them. There’s almost a sense of catharsis in rewatching movie scenes that hit you right in the feels, or maybe there’s a little sadist in all of us who enjoys the emotional trauma. 

Whatever your reason for chasing an ugly cry, we’ve rounded up 8 movie scenes that will have you bawling your eyes like a baby. 

Again, and again, and again. 

Avengers: Endgame, Tony Stark Dies 

The man who started it all. The man who ended it all. When Tony Stark first stepped on screen in 2008, the world wasn’t ready for the whirlwind the Avenger series was going to bring. Similar to how we weren’t ready to see Iron Man pale, bloody, and fading amongst the ruins of his last battle. More than anything, what will always get me tearing up is Peter Parker kneeling in front of Tony. 

A tentative hand placed on Iron Man’s armour as the teenage boy stared in disbelief at his vanishing mentor, choking on his words as he said: “Mr. Stark. Hey, Mr. Stark. Can you hear me? It’s Peter. We won. Mr. Stark, we won Mr. Stark. We won. You did it sir, you did it. I’m sorry, Tony.”

Dead Poets Society, O Captain My Captain (TW: Suicide)

Dead Poets Society is a movie that keeps people returning. Not only did Robin Williams bring an inspirational performance on screen but the underlying message of conformity is one which stands relatable throughout time. 

After one of his boarding school students, Neil, died by suicide, Williams’ character of Teacher John Keating was asked to leave. In an move to show Mr. Keating that they won’t forget his teachings, his students rose to salute his leave with a shout of “O Captain, My Captain” to nod to their earlier binding over Walt Whitman’s work. 

Kal Ho Na Ho, The Song

Bollywood is an expert at pulling anyone’s heartstrings with its over-the-top plots and dialogues. While Kal Ho Na Ho has its fair share of questionable behaviour, it doesn’t take away from the emotionally heavy tale Shah Rukh Khan takes the audience on. 

Forget royalties, the people who produced the Kal Ho Na Ho track need to be compensated based on tears shed. This is the go-to bop that had any desi person singing along emphatically while holding on to their dear friends. 

Up, The Opening Scene

10 minutes into the movie and you’ll be sniffling like it’s Spring and you have a bad case of the allergies. 

Up does a beautiful job of setting up the scene for the idyllic life. Meet the love of your life. Fall in love. Plan your future. Then have it taken away in small bits and pieces until it’s too late, the person you wanted to travel the world with is gone and you’re left sitting alone with a balloon in hand. 

Coco, Miguel singing Remember Me to Mama Coco

Look, I don’t know what it is about animated movies but their sheer pureness tend to hit even the most emotionally stunted. So when Miguel strummed and sang Coco’s Dad’s song for her to keep his spirit alive in the afterlife and then she rose from her stupor to sing along? There’s some guaranteed sniffling. 

The Fault In Our Stars, All The Eulogies

As if one eulogy isn’t enough, The Fault In Our Stars managed to pack in three – two for Augustus and one for Hazel Grace. Personally, Isaac’s eulogy always hits harder, his warmth and friendship for Gus layered under each joke and quip that’s a lot more refreshing in a movie than a significant other delivering theirs.  

Get rid to cry-laugh (craugh?) your way through Isaac’s speech. 

Toy Story 3, The Furnace 

15 years. That’s how long of a relationship most of us millennials have had with the toys of Toy Story series. We were there when Andy unboxed Buzz. We were there to watch Woody and Buzz’s friendship blossom. We saw them through thick and thin. 

And, despite it being an animation, I genuinely believed that Walt Disney was going to let our beloved toys meet a fiery end. And in that second, seeing them resigned to accept their fate, there was an echoing sadness that reminded me how powerless we all feel from time to time in front of life’s obstacles. 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows II, Fred’s Death

There’s something shattering about seeing a twin without a twin and Fred & George Weasley were as twin-ny as twins could get. Finishing each others’ sentences, never seen without one another, always having one another’s’ back. 

JK Rowling wanted to cause memorable pain when she took Fred away. Anytime I watch the scene where he dies, I hear her writing in my head: And Percy was shaking his brother, and Ron was kneeling beside them, and Fred’s eyes stared without seeing, the ghost of his last laugh still etched upon his face.

And now you will too.