20 people reveal the movies that genuinely made them cry

Editor's Note: This article was originally published on December 10, 2021. It has since been updated.

Movies that leave the viewer bawling might not be everyone's cup of tea on a day-to-day basis but sometimes, a big, cathartic cry could be just what's needed to make it through a particularly grinding week. After all, it's been scientifically proven that letting tears flow has a range of benefits including the release of oxytocin and endorphins, two chemicals that make you feel good and could also help ease both physical and emotional pain. Members of the r/AskReddit community vouched for the same when they revealed which movies have left them sobbing.

Here are 20 of the top responses:

1.

2.

"'The Green mile' 'I'm afraid of the dark.'" — stebedubs

"The acting performance in that scene, and in the film in general, are incredible. You can see the dance of emotions playing across Tom Hanks' face when he shakes John Coffey's hand. Watching Brutal, the big man of the prison, with eyes welling and jaw clenching, pains you. The knowledge that they've witnessed miracles from this good and kind man, who faces a painful and unjust death, is heartbreaking. It's a tragic, devastating and yet beautiful scene. I cry every time." — Boorish_Bear 

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"'Coco.' She reminded me of my Nonnie (great grandmother) and Nonna (grandmother) (Italian side of the family). And then the ending slams into my emotions like a grand piano outta nowhere." — spinmerighttriangle

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"I watched 'Up' with my Grandpa six months after my Grandma died. It was incredibly therapeutic. Two grown-ass men ugly cried during that montage. The rest of the movie where the old man learns that his wife would want him to keep living instead of being an old grump struck a chord with my Grandpa. And the fight scene between the old men had my Grandpa howling. 11/10 I recommend." — eddiewachowski 

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"'Interstellar' made me cry twice, once when he got back from the planet that made decades pass in minutes for him and he watched a bunch of videos from his kids that grew into adults, and then when he was yelling at himself to not leave." — uhokbutwhy 

9.

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"Do I have to be the first person to mention the 'Iron Giant'? For shame, all of you!" — OkChildhood2261 

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"I watched 'Inside Out' in theaters and had to hold it together from having a full-blown fetal position cry. And that was even before Bing Bong, but that scene made me fu**in lose it." — SqulliamFancyson44

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"'Dead Poets Society,' last scene" — FineVoid

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"'Good Will Hunting.' I was abused growing up and really identified with Matt Damon's character. There’s a scene near the end with him and Robin Williams, and Robin just keeps saying 'it’s not your fault' again and again until Matt's character breaks down for the first time and cries. Almost involuntarily, I started sobbing. It reached that hurt inner child in me. I've never cried that hard at a movie since. Sometimes when I need a cry I pull up the clip haha." — tayalowe 

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"Schindler's List" — IronNeither370

"Oskar trying to sell his pin just so he could have saved one more person and despite the huge number of people he saved that all he could think was that it wasn't enough inspires and upsets me." — goose3691 

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"As a 30yr old dude with alcoholic dad baggage I’ve sort of pushed aside for years… 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' hit some chords in me I hadn't felt in a decade. But oooooh boy, that Yondu scene at the end with the funeral and rocket with his batteries…" — RustedAntique