Sad Movies on Hulu: A Collection of Beautiful Films That Will Break Your Heart

Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci in "Supernova" | Olivia Cooke in "Little Fish" | Source: Studio Canal | IFC Films

For years, sad movies have had an appeal, and recent studies have shown that tearjerkers serve as a great comfort and source of enjoyment. So, if you're in the mood for a good cry, these sad movies on Hulu are sure to do the trick.

We're familiar with the term comfort food, and, in the same vain, we have comfort movies: everyone's go-to for when you're feeling particularly low. However, one might imagine something light-hearted and fun, like a Jim Carrey classic or a rom-com, would be in order.

But recent studies have found quite the opposite. Instead, if you're in need of a pick-me-up and films are your source of escape, you might be surprised to hear that sad movies or traumatic films will boost your feel-good chemicals.

"The argument here is that actually, maybe the emotional wringing you get from tragedy triggers the endorphin system," Robin Dunbar, a professor of Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Oxford, said.

Studies have found that while watching sad movies can make someone sadder, it can also be a source of great joy as audiences become more interested and emotionally invested in the lives and stories of the characters they watch go through distress, leading them to enjoy the film more.

And thanks to these sad movies on Hulu, you can choose from an array of films when you're in a melancholy mood and need a good sad movie to make you feel better.

'Supernova'

Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci play longtime lovers trying to hold onto each other and life together in this 2020 film, as the latter's character is diagnosed with early-onset Dementia progressively worsening.

To savor their last moments together, the couple surrounds themselves with loved ones to numb the bitter sting of loss. However, it is inevitable, and Firth's character takes his partner's hand as the neurocognitive disorder slowly takes him away.

'I, Tonya'

Based on a true story, this heartbreaking film tells the tale of Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding (played by the award-winning Margot Robbie). Harding grew up in an abusive home at the hands of her mother and later suffered abuse from her longtime partner.

However, her personal struggles did not stop the talented figure skater from achieving success on the ice from a young age. But that all ended just weeks before the 1994 Winter Olympics when Harding shocked the world with an act of violence that led to a career-ending scandal.

'The Last Song'

In this touching movie about grief and forgiveness based on the Nicholas Sparks novel of the same name, Miley Cyrus plays a rebellious teenager angry at the world but, more importantly, her parents following their divorce.

However, after she is forced to spend the summer with her dad, Cyrus' character not only finds love with a local boy (Liam Hemsworth), but she is able to bond with her estranged father during his last moments.

'The Spectacular Now'

"The Spectacular Now" is another sad movie on Hulu based on a novel and tells the story of Sutter Keely (Miles Teller), the cool kid everyone high-fives when he walks down the halls, without a clue in the world of the inner demons the high schooler is battling.

But, for a moment, Sutter's struggles are silenced when he meets and unexpectedly falls in love with a girl (Shailene Woodley), his polar opposite. However, as the film follows Sutter's journey of overcoming his past experiences in order to move forward in life, it also captures the emotional whirlwind that is life as an adolescent.

'500 Days of Summer'

His trip down memory lane is sparked by the former couple's breakup for good and Deschanel's character moving on with someone new. This film is bound to leave you reaching for tissues as it looks at what it means to love, lose, and get over someone.

'The Ultimate Playlist of Noise'

In this teenage drama, Keenan Johnson plays Marcus, a high schooler who finds refuge in the noises and sounds around him — his greatest passion. However, his world soon comes shuttering around him as doctors find a tumor in Marcus' brain that would see him lose his hearing.

Determined to hold onto his passion for sound just a little bit longer, Marcus sets out on a road trip to create a playlist of all his favorite sounds and noises before succumbing to the devastating moment he won't be able to hear again.

'Little Fish'

After a memory loss-inducing virus plagues the world, "Little Fish" follows the life of a couple, played by Jack O'Connell and Olivia Cooke, fighting to hold onto their memories of each other and themselves.

Their relationship's inevitable demise is momentarily halted as the couple believes they have found a cure. However, this heartbreaking film gives the audience a glimpse at the loss that comes with Dementia and Alzheimer's disease as the young couple eventually lose each other.

'Endless'

In "Endless," two high school students, Riley and Chris, fall head over heels in love and picture their rose gold-tinted future together, unaware of the tragedy waiting for them. Life eventually catches up to the high school sweethearts, as only one survives a devastating car crash.

Unable to accept their romance has come to a bitter end, Riley keeps hearing, feeling, and eventually seeing Chris, who is stuck between life and death and needs to make the difficult task of helping the girl he loves let him go.

'Nomadland'

Based on the nonfiction book "Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century," "Nomadland" comes from the highly acclaimed director Chloé Zhao and stars Frances McDormand as Fern.

After losing everything, from her husband to her job, Fern makes the difficult decision to sell all her belongings and travel across the country in her van as a nomad. The touching film captures the saddening reality of not having a home while highlighting the happier moments in Fern's new life.

'Babyteeth'

"Babyteeth" is an Australian coming-of-age film that sees Milla Finlay, a 16-year-old schoolgirl diagnosed with cancer, meet Moses, a 23-year-old who is her parents' worst nightmare personified. Nonetheless, Milla falls in love with Moses, who, in turn, also has his life changed after meeting Milla and her parents.

Their love story is not perfect, and when Milla and her father realize that she won't win her battle with cancer, her father makes the difficult decision of letting his daughter go and promising to take care of those she leaves behind, even troubled Moses.

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