Top 5 tearjerkers to watch now after Princess Kate confessed Hamnet made her cry – see list

I can never hear Queen’s song Under Pressure in the same way after watching this coming-of-age drama starring Paul Mescal (please stop making us all cry, Paul). Directed by Charlotte Wells, the 2022 film is loosely autobiographical and based on her childhood experiences. The story follows an 11-year-old Scottish girl, played by Frankie Corio, who goes on holiday with her father to a Turkish resort on the eve of his 31st birthday.

Having grown up spending many summers in Turkey, even the pastel-coloured hotel waterslides brought back vivid memories. The old DV-cam footage mirrors hazy summer memories, much like flicking through a childhood album.

The reason it is such an emotional watch is hard to disclose without spoiling the film, but the ending truly punches you in the gut. I would describe it as a story about love and loss told with perfect precision, and it serves as a reminder of how important it is to treasure every moment with your loved ones.

Paul’s performance as the troubled dad earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor in 2023, and I cried again when he didn’t get what would have been a deserved win. You can watch the film now on Amazon Prime Video

Another film which will leave you pondering the fragility of life is this heart-wrenching story about a young woman suffering from a terminal illness. In an unlikely romance between award-winning chef Almut (Florence Pugh) and Weetabix marketing professional Tobias (Andrew Garfield), the film begins with Almut receiving a severe cancer diagnosis and faced with an impossible decision.

Florence and Andrew’s chemistry is undeniable, and their charismatic on-screen presence ensures that the traumatic tale is laced with some laughs along the way.

As I watched it in the Peckhamplex cinema in January 2025, the sniffles at the end of the film were audible. You can stream it on Netflix now and sniffle  to your heart’s content in the privacy of your own home…

I watched Beautiful Boy back in 2018 when I was 19 years old. The movie still sticks with me and always springs to mind whenever I recommend a must-see film. Timothée Chalamet plays drug addicted Nicolas Sheff, the son of New York Times writer David Sheff, who is mesmerically portrayed by Steve Carell.

The film centres on Nicolas’s drug addiction and his emotionally strained relationship with David. The weight of the story stems from both the addiction itself and David’s love for his son, alongside his desperate desire for him to recover.

Available on Amazon Prime, Beautiful Boy is one of both Timothée and Steve’s best movies. It is a staggeringly good depiction of a highly sensitive subject and a timeless tear-jerker. 

Who says animated films can’t be total tear-jerkers? Pixar’s Inside Out 2 had me crying in the cinema next to my mum and 11-year-old brother. To recap the first Inside Out, the 2015 film follows 11-year-old Riley. Inside her mind, her five core emotions – Fear, Anger, Joy, Disgust, and Sadness – struggle to cope with her new life.

The second film, released in 2024, revisits Riley as a 13-year-old. New teenage emotions emerge, such as Anxiety, which force her to redefine who she is as a young person. The inventive animation provides a psychological insight into a child’s brain and the insecurities faced during formative years, and highlights how finding a true sense of self is an ongoing battle. This is why the story resonates deeply with both children and adults. Both Inside Out and Inside Out 2 are available to stream on Disney+.

Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights has been a major online topic for the past week, with many people crying at how bad they perceive it to be. After watching the divisive movie in the cinema on a Friday night, I believe its bad press is a little unjust.

I think Margot Robbie, who plays Catherine Earnshaw, and Jacob Elordi, as the brooding Heathcliff, put in stellar performances, and perfectly complement the film’s weird and wonderful aesthetic. Other performances, such as Alison Oliver as Isabella or Martin Clunes as Cathy’s father, should not be dismissed either, as they provide solid support to the leads. 

So as I left the theatre my tears weren’t as a result of a couple of hours wasted but the movie’s truly depressing ending. To be honest, I did not expect it to be as sad as it was, and the incongruity of the euphoric soundtrack made it all the more upssetting. If you enjoyed Emerald Fennell’s critically acclaimed Saltburn, it is worth a watch in cinemas now.