Nothing beats the emotional catharsis of a good cry! But some films try their hardest, but do absolutely nothing for you – so we’ve rounded up the top try-hard movies that will definitely make you wonder if there’s something wrong with you for not crying. These four movies are guaranteed to make you sit quietly with your thoughts and wonder if you’re actually a sociopath well after the credits roll.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
When the orchestra plays Presto from “Summer” in Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, you can’t help but be overcome by emotion, but not so much that you show any visible signs of it. The movie will wrap with you wondering if you even have the capacity to love like that, let alone really feel anything outside of a detached appreciation for good music.
Bridge to Terabithia (2007)
A childhood classic – and one that ruined many a child’s innocence. Spoiler alert: The girl dies at the end and you won’t shed a tear, you apathetic weirdo.
The Farewell (2019)
It’s hard to even get through the trailer of this one without crying, but you’ll find a way. This film is great for reflecting on the power of familial bonds and contemplating what is so deeply wrong with your own family that an aging matriarch’s impending death can’t even bring a single tear to your eye.
The Lion King (1994)
Another gem from childhood, The Lion King has all the components to leave you tear-streaked and sniffling. Well, not you, per se, but anyone with an ounce of compassion. The scene where Mufasa falls to his death is especially great for wondering what went so wrong in your childhood that you can hardly summon a lackluster “Oh no!”, let alone real tears. Sit with that for a moment, just like Simba had to.
So give these films a shot and sit quietly like a robot devoid of feeling while everyone else around you discovers something new and meaningful about themselves as they let their tears flow unabashedly. Maybe you should go to therapy?
