From tragic love stories to heartbreaking dramas, these are the films that touch our souls.

Cue the waterworks: The 18 saddest movies streaming on Amazon Prime Video

From tragic love stories to heartbreaking dramas, these are the films that touch our souls.

By Kevin Jacobsen

and Declan Gallagher

January 29, 2026 8:00 a.m. ET

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Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till Mobley in 'Till'; Riz Ahmed as Ruben Stone in 'Sound of Metal'; Casey Affleck as Lee Chandler in 'Manchester by the Sea'. Credit:

Lynsey Weatherspoon/Orion Pictures; Courtesy of TIFF; Claire Folger/Roadside Attractions

Why do we seek out movies that are bound to make us cry? It might seem strange to some who only see this art form as a vessel for entertainment, but there's a real beauty in films that go beyond ephemeral laughs, thrills, or scares and touch the deepest parts of ourselves. These are human stories first and foremost, tales of tragedy, struggle over adversity, and bittersweet romance.

Amazon Prime offers a wide selection of sad movies, catering to various tastes, from sorrowful classics like *Bicycle Thieves* (1948) to heartbreaking modern dramas like *Till* (2022), each guaranteed to get your tear ducts working overtime.

Ahead, a list of the 18 best sad movies on Amazon Prime Video for whenever you need a good sobfest.

Affliction (1998)

James Coburn as Glen Whitehouse and Nick Nolte as Wade Whitehouse in 'Affliction'.

Lionsgate/Courtesy Everett Collection

This bleak crime drama, adapted from the Russell Banks novel of the same name, is all about the cycles of violence within a family. Nick Nolte stars as Wade, a small-town New England cop who has a strained relationship with his daughter and ex-wife. He soon becomes consumed by a suicide case he believes could actually be a cover-up for murder, leading him down a dark path that's only exacerbated by tension with his mean-spirited father (James Coburn, in an Oscar-winning performance). EW's critic praises *Affliction* as an "exquisitely shaped, paced, painted, and edited production," dubbing it "a beautiful bummer, a magnificent feel-bad movie." —*Kevin Jacobsen*

Where to watch *Affliction*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A

**Director:** Paul Schrader

**Cast:** Nick Nolte, Sissy Spacek, James Coburn, Willem Dafoe, Mary Beth Hurt

Beautiful Boy (2018)

Timothée Chalamet as Nic Scheff and Steve Carell as David Sheff in 'Beautiful Boy'. Francois Duhamel/Amazon Studios

Timothée Chalamet stars in this semi-biographical portrait of *New York Times* columnist David Sheff (Steve Carell​​) and his son, Nic (Chalamet), who has a substance abuse disorder. Directed by Felix van Groeningen, the film is resolutely hard-nosed but not without moments of levity and an ultimately redemptive arc for its young lead.

Groeningen wisely universalizes a story that could have played as a privileged, unpigmented vision of drug addiction. There's nothing in* Beautiful Boy *you haven’t seen before, but the notes are played with such humanism that it still stands on its own two feet. —*Declan Gallagher*

Where to watch *Beautiful Boy*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Felix van Groeningen

**Cast:** Steve Carell, Timothée Chalamet, Maura Tierney, Amy Ryan

Bicycle Thieves (1948)

Lamberto Maggiorani as Antonio Ricci and Enzo Staiola as Bruno Ricci in 'Bicycle Thieves'.

Courtesy Everett Collection

This third-ever Oscar winner for Best International Feature Film is a simple tale that packs a huge punch. Set in post-WWII Rome, *Bicycle Thieves* centers on a humble family man named Antonio (Lamberto Maggiorani) who lands a new job that requires a bicycle. After shelling out enough money to pay for one, his first day on the job goes horribly wrong as a thief absconds with the bike when he's not looking. What follows is a heartbreaking tale of Antonio and his son desperately searching for the stolen bike, with director Vittorio De Sica offering a profound commentary on the plight of the workingman. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Bicycle Thieves*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Vittorio De Sica

**Cast:** Lamberto Maggiorani, Enzo Staiola, Lianella Carell

The Big Sick (2017)

Kumail Nanjiani as himself and Zoe Kazan as Emily Gardner in 'The Big Sick'.

Sarah Shatz/Lionsgate

Michael Showalter​​ cemented himself as a journeyman director with this understated romantic dramedy based on co-writers Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon's love story. Nanjiani plays a version of himself, a struggling Pakistani comic who meets young American student Emily (Zoe Kazan) when she heckles him during his act. The two begin a tentative romance, aware of their disparate cultures, but things take a dark turn when Emily is diagnosed with a rare disorder.

Showalter and his crew turn up the emotional honesty in this tremendously effective feature, which never loses sight of the absurd comedy within this deathly serious situation. —*D.G.*

Where to watch *The Big Sick*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Michael Showalter

**Cast:** Kumail Nanjiani, Zoe Kazan, Holly Hunter, Ray Romano, Anupam Kher

Biutiful (2010)

Javier Bardem as Uxbal in 'Biutiful'.

Roadside Attractions

Alejandro G. Iñárritu has specialized in a certain kind of grim cinema over the years, from *21 Grams* (2003) to *The Revenant* (2015), but this 2010 drama remains one of his most affecting. Javier Bardem stars as Uxbal, a father living in Barcelona who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Given only a few months to live, he tries to provide a better future for his kids, but finds his life going from bad to worse as he tries to help a group of illegal immigrants. While often unrelenting in its bleakness, *Biutiful* is made effective by Bardem's subtly heartbreaking performance, which earned him an Oscar nomination. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Biutiful*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Alejandro G. Iñárritu

**Cast:** Javier Bardem

The Iron Claw (2023)

Zac Efron as Kevin Von Erich in 'The Iron Claw'.

Brian Roedel/ A24

The true story of the Von Erich wrestling family was so unrelentingly tragic that when *The Iron Claw* finally got made, director Sean Durkin opted to leave one brother out entirely. (He later told EW that that call was "one of the toughest decisions I had to make.") The film has more than its share of anguish, but that's no reason for audiences to avoid it. There's joy in the bonds of brotherhood shared between the Von Erichs, in and out of the ring, even amid their darkest moments. And the movie makes room for hope, particularly embodied by Kevin (Zac Efron, in a career-best performance). *—K.J.*

Where to watch *The Iron Claw*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Sean Durkin

**Cast:** Zac Efron, Harris Dickinson, Lily James, Jeremy Allen White, Maura Tierney

It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

Larry Simms as Pete, Karolyn Grimes as Zuzu, Jimmy Hawkins as Tommy, James Stewart as George, Donna Reed as Mary, and Carol Coombs as Janie — the Bailey family — in 'It's a Wonderful Life'.

*It's a Wonderful Life* is a cherished Christmas classic, one that's a step above other holiday movies for its themes. After all, the entire premise centers on George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) wanting to jump off a bridge and end his life after a series of unfortunate events that lead him to believe he's worthless. But, after a guardian angel intervenes, George sees that he’s made a far more positive impact than he ever imagined.

A touching tribute to the value of family and community, *It's a Wonderful Life* offers a rollercoaster of emotions that leaves you with happy, grateful tears by its cathartic conclusion. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *It's a Wonderful Life*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Frank Capra

**Cast:** Jimmy Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Henry Travers

Last Flag Flying (2017)

Laurence Fishburne as Richard Mueller, Steve Carell as Larry 'Doc' Shepherd, and Bryan Cranston as Sal Nealon in 'Last Flag Flying'. Wilson Webb/Amazon

Richard Linklater's tale of Vietnam vets (Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne) making a cross-country journey to bury the young son of one of their number (Steve Carell) is by turns somber and spirited, but always represents the very best of what the director is capable of. He's a filmmaker who can find uncommon depth and lingering beauty in the smallest of life’s moments.

Here, Linklater eschews the overwrought trappings that these types of movies typically fall into. There's no rah-rah patriotism; there's no epic grandstanding. There's just a pervasive sense of loss, of lives torn asunder for no particular reason, and a cast highly adept at delivering these punches. —*D.G.*

Where to watch *Last Flag Flying*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Richard Linklater

**Cast:** Steve Carell, Bryan Cranston, Laurence Fishburne, Yul Vazquez, Cicely Tyson

Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Michelle Williams as Randi Chandler and Casey Affleck as Lee Chandler in 'Manchester by the Sea'.

Claire Folger/Roadside Attractions

Kenneth Lonergan's scorched-earth domestic drama stars an Oscar-winning Casey Affleck as a ne'er-do-well repairman called back to the sleepy Massachusetts hamlet of his youth to care for his nephew (Lucas Hedges) after his brother's (Kyle Chandler) death. Lonergan pitches this film at an occasionally hysterical level, but he never lets the material get away from him, nor does it descend into pieties.

Affleck excels here in a tremendously off-putting role (seemingly the one he was born to play), but the film's most cogent, exciting moments come when Lonergan splits off to show us the town's bizarre side characters. —*D.G.*

Where to watch *Manchester by the Sea*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Kenneth Lonergan

**Cast: **Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler, Lucas Hedges

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Never Let Me Go (2010)

Carey Mulligan as Kathy H, Keira Knightley as Ruth C, and Andrew Garfield as Tommy D in 'Never Let Me Go'.

Alex Bailey/Searchlight Pictures

Based on the devastating dystopian novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro, this wistful drama explores the lives of Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth, three friends who grow up at a boarding school. While a love triangle eventually develops, this romantic drama tells an entirely more complicated story than you might expect, as we learn that Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth share a secret about how — and why — they’re alive. Bolstered by weighty performances from Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield, and Keira Knightley, the film dives into heavy themes of mortality and ethics with striking clarity. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Never Let Me Go*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Mark Romanek

**Cast:** Carey Mulligan, Keira Knightley, Andrew Garfield

Nickel Boys (2024)

Ethan Herisse as Elwood and Brandon Wilson as Turner in 'Nickel Boys'.

Courtesy of Orion Pictures

Colson Whitehead's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is an emotional wallop, putting us in the mind of a Black teenager experiencing racism and abuse at a reform school in 1960s Florida. This Oscar-nominated adaptation brilliantly brings that perspective to life, shot entirely in first-person point of view in a way that feels overwhelmingly immersive, not gimmicky. "*Nickel Boys* is a fragmented film, so much so that it can be difficult to grasp it," notes EW's critic. "But at a certain point, it turns around and grabs you instead, refusing to let go until you're left sitting in a startling and stunned silence." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Nickel Boys*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director:** RaMell Ross

**Cast:** Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor

Short Term 12 (2013)

Brie Larson as Grace Howard and LaKeith Stanfield as Marcus in 'Short Term 12'. Brett Pawlak

Destin Daniel Cretton's debut feature concerns a group of counselors (headed by Brie Larson's Grace) at a home for at-risk teens who must deal with their own traumatic pasts while shepherding their patients to a brighter future. A modern indie favorite, *Short Term 12* announced Cretton, Larson, and LaKeith Stanfield as major talents in their respective fields.

This is a movie that subverts and morphs the audience's expectations with great intelligence at each turn. Its twists are as shocking as those in a conventional thriller, and Cretton is a master of selling emotions and entire character arcs with a single shot. —*D.G.*

Where to watch *Short Term 12*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director: **Destin Daniel Cretton

**Cast: **Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr., Kaitlyn Dever, Rami Malek, LaKeith Stanfield

Sound of Metal (2020)

Riz Ahmed as Ruben Stone in 'Sound of Metal'.

Courtesy of TIFF

Riz Ahmed stars in this moving indie drama as Ruben, a heavy metal drummer grappling with sudden hearing loss. The musician, who also has a substance abuse disorder, enters a rehab shelter treating deaf recovering addicts. Desperate to regain any semblance of the life he led before, Ruben struggles to accept what he cannot change, despite the best efforts of the shelter’s leader (Paul Raci).

Featuring a soul-bearing performance by Ahmed and an Oscar-winning sound design that takes us inside Ruben’s mind, *Sound of Metal* is a quietly powerful experience. "As Ruben's fear and rage begins to open itself to the unknown, the movie reaches toward something profound," writes EW's critic, "finding real, furious power in the spaces between the sound." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Sound of Metal*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** A–

**Director: **Darius Marder

**Cast: **Riz Ahmed, Olivia Cooke, Paul Raci, Lauren Ridloff, Mathieu Amalric

Thirteen Lives (2022)

Joel Edgerton as Richard Harris (center) in 'Thirteen Lives'.

Vince Valitutti/Metro Goldwyn Mayer Pictures/Amazon Prime

Ron Howard's unabashed weepy reconstructs the daring true-story rescue of young Thai soccer players and their coaches after they become trapped inside a cave amidst heavy flooding. As the divers tasked with rescuing the stranded team, Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, and Joel Edgerton give committed, un-showy performances.

With the precision of a great documentarian and the pace of an expert thriller director, Howard mounts an enviably well-rounded procedural dramatization of a story that captivated headlines in 2018. There are moments in *Thirteen Lives* that have such verisimilitude you’d swear you’re watching actual footage of the event. —*D.G.*

Where to watch *Thirteen Lives*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Ron Howard

**Cast: **Viggo Mortensen, Colin Farrell, Joel Edgerton, Tom Bateman

Till (2022)

Danielle Deadwyler as Mamie Till-Mobley in 'Till'.

Lynsey Weatherspoon/Orion Pictures

The lynching of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955 is considered a turning point in America's shameful mistreatment of and violence against the Black community. This stirring biopic dramatizes the steps taken by Emmett's mother, Mamie Till-Mobley (Danielle Deadwyler), to seek justice against the odds by bringing the tragedy to the national media, helping spur the Civil Rights Act of 1957. EW's critic praises Deadwyler's performance for her "haunting immediacy," with Mamie's "grief and fury and fierce dignity passing across her face in annihilating waves." —*K.J.*

Where to watch *Till*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Chinonye Chukwu

**Cast:** Danielle Deadwyler, Jalyn Hall, Frankie Faison, Haley Bennett, Whoopi Goldberg

A Walk to Remember (2002)

Mandy Moore as Jamie Sullivan and Shane West as Landon Carter in 'A Walk to Remember'.

Warner Brothers/Getty

This early-2000s weepie was one of the first Nicholas Sparks adaptations that connected with audiences. Shane West stars as Landon, a rebellious high schooler who connects with Jamie (Mandy Moore), the local reverend's daughter. Though they come from vastly different worlds, their romance grows, only for Jamie to reveal a heartbreaking truth that will change their future. The film fully wears its heart on its sleeve, telling an earnest (if familiar) story of love and commitment through hardship. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *A Walk to Remember*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Adam Shankman

**Cast:** Shane West, Mandy Moore, Peter Coyote, Daryl Hannah

We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Tilda Swinton as Eva Khatchadourian and John C. Reilly as Franklin Plaskett in 'We Need to Talk About Kevin'.

There's bleak, and then there's *We Need to Talk About Kevin*. This harrowing psychological drama probably won't provoke tears, but its depiction of a mother trying to understand why she could never connect with her severely troubled son is deeply affecting nonetheless. Tilda Swinton delivers a rich performance as Eva, who feels a great deal of regret over her son Kevin's (Ezra Miller) heinous behavior, wondering how she could have done things differently. It all leads to a horrific act of terror, as director Lynne Ramsay reflects in sobering fashion how brutal and unknowable life can be. —*K.J.*

Where to watch *We Need to Talk About Kevin*: Amazon Prime Video

**Director:** Lynne Ramsay

**Cast:** Tilda Swinton, Ezra Miller, John C. Reilly**

Women Talking (2022)

Jessie Buckley as Mariche, Liv McNeil as Neitje, Claire Foy as Salome, Kate Hallett as Autje, Rooney Mara as Ona, and Judith Ivey as Agata in 'Women Talking'. Michael Gibson/United Artists Releasing

Another remarkable entry in Sarah Polley's filmography, *Women Talking* centers on women in an isolated religious community who gather to discuss the pros and cons of fleeing after suffering routine, horrific abuse by the men. What sounds like a tremendously tough sit is, in fact, one of the most rewarding, cathartic, and unexpectedly romantic pieces of cinema to come along in decades. Polley's film is a real tears-pooling-in-your-clavicles heartbreaker, but it's never depressing and, in fact, rather defiantly uplifting by the end. *—D.G.*

Where to watch *Women Talking*: Amazon Prime Video

**EW grade:** B

**Director:** Sarah Polley

**Cast:** Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, Jessie Buckley, Ben Whishaw, Frances McDormand

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Source: “EW Movie”