Sometimes, movies don’t need to be comedic romps or action-packed blockbusters to capture the audience’s attention. Sometimes, all movies need to do is get viewers invested in a person’s emotions and how they cope with the loss of close friends or family. Depicting these emotions in a riveting way can be hard, but movies that accomplish the same are revered for it.
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The following movies are great examples of how films that tackle the topics of grief and loss can succeed if the execution is brilliant. These sad moments might not be the core of some movies, but they have enough of an impact that the people who deal with said loss can grow as enjoyable and engaging characters.
10Hereditary
Hereditaryisone of the most terrifying movies on this list, despite lacking a single jumpscare. The sheer level of tension and suspense in the movie elevates it to a whole new level.
A pivotal scene in the movie comes when the youngest child, Charlie, ends up dying after an unfortunate car accident. It’s a shocking moment, with the entire family being divided in the wake of her demise.
9Death At A Funeral
Death at a Funeralis a black comedy film that is pretty iconic in its own right. It serves up an odd yet unique look into the lives of a grieving family who have many dark things present underneath the surface.
There are times when the death of the father takes a backseat to what’s happening in the movie, butDeath at a Funeralnever plays its cards right up until the last second. It’s a hilarious yet solemn watch, which is pretty hard to pull off.
8Inception
Inceptionis a pulse-pounding thriller with the theme of loss at its very center. Watching Cobb try and come to grips with the death of his wife makes for a highly entertaining watch.
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It’s easy to see why this movie is lauded as one of the greatest films ever made. The death of Cobb’s wife haunts him all the way to the very end and is riveting throughout.
7Sleepless In Seattle
A romantic story where the leads don’t even interact until the very end,Sleepless in Seattleis one of the more unique romantic films out there. The idea of a person falling in love with an insomniac’s voice is something out of a fairy tale… which is precisely why the movie is so fun to watch.
It helps that Tom Hanks is absolutely brilliant in his role asa grieving widow who just can’t move on from the love of his life. Thankfully, he gets the happy ending he deserves at the end courtesy of his lovable kid.
6Midsommar
Ari Aster makes another appearance on this list in the form ofMidsommar. Thisdisturbing cult horror moviepaints a rather odd and unsettling picture of what goes on behind the doors of these brainwashing groups.
The main character, Dani, has to deal with everything from the loss of her family to the ordeals of dating a crappy boyfriend. In a way, she gets a happy ending of sorts in the movie… although the subject matter itself is so dark that calling anything ‘happy’ feels like a farce.
5The Sixth Sense
The Sixth Senseisone of the few good filmsdirected by M. Night Shyamalan before the quality of his cinematic offerings tanked. However, this film is a ton of fun, with both Bruce Willis and Haley Joel Osmont shining in their roles.
The end-reveal of Malcolm being a ghost that never survived an assault that happened in the past is pretty shocking and shows the lengths that people will go to reject their fate. Thankfully, both Malcolm and his wife manage to peacefully move on by the end.
4Up
Pixar absolutely knocked it out of the park with their work onUp, which is easilyone of the best films they’ve animated. The first few minutes of the movie hits like a truck and show just how overbearing and saddening loss can really be.
Seeing Carl jaded and disillusioned with life is both hilarious and heartbreaking at the same time. Thankfully, the efforts of Russell and other characters during an aerial adventure bring his love for life back once again.
3Bridge To Terabithia
Bridge to Terabithiastarts off as a children’s fantasy flick before punching viewers in the gut with emotional and horrifying development. It’s a truly sad moment that feels even worse because the sense of closure is something that is missing throughout this moment of loss.
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Watching Jess accept the loss of her best friend and introduce his sister to the world of Terabithia makes for a great time indeed. It’s a heartwarming film that any fan of well-told emotional stories should have a great time with.
2P.S. I Love You
P.S. I Love Youisone of the most popular drama films ever made. The movie documents the adventures of a widow who constantly gets letters from her husband after his demise.
The movie is a gripping tale about loss and how people cope with it. Watching Holly slowly accept the loss of her husband and find joy in life once again is a heartwarming end to a brilliant film.
1World’s Greatest Dad
Robin Williams is one of the greatest actors of all time, and even his underrated films are incredible.Such is the case withWorld’s Greatest Dad, where a struggling writer attains success after fabricating his son’s diary to hide the details of his embarrassing demise.
Lance Clayton is a deeply complex and interesting character, with his newfound fame clashing with his feelings of grief that stem from the loss of his child. It’s a great movie that’s quite hilarious despite its dark premise.
