Sadness as a genre in film

Why I think it's meaningful and some of my top picks

With the days being so dark and cold, it’s a good time to indulge in a bit of seasonal depression with some sad films.

Credit: Sony Pictures Classics (2017)

First, let’s look at why I think this is a really important genre;

I actually saw a video the other day about a scientist who was talking about if you’re feeling down and you listen to sad music, your brain releases chemicals similar to its own opioids so you feel better. Basically like free therapy. I think this could apply to films too. I know that if you watch a really sad film it makes you probably cry and feel a void for a couple of days, but they are so comforting to watch.

Seeing characters feel emotions that you’ve felt before or could be feeling at the time of watching makes you relate to them which could leave you with a feeling of being seen. We sympathise with the character. I obviously love happy films too but emotional cinema reflects with our real lives because there’s always a fine line between both feelings.

Following are some of my top picks in order of release:

1. The Iron Claw (2024)

Credit: Lionsgate (2024)

I really didn’t think this was going to make me cry. It did. It made me sob. These men can definitely act. This film is a true story following the Von-Erich brothers and their struggle with being pressured by their dad whilst supporting each other no matter what. It shows how great their resilience was and how they couldn’t back down even when they were almost fighting for their lives. Every performance in this is incredible. Lily James will never not play the rom-com love interest and we love her for that. If you haven’t seen it, I recommend it highly.

The Iron Claw is definitely the saddest film of the year (based on UK release dates) and it doesn’t quite get you until the end, there is a huge buildup for a beautiful but sad conclusion.

2. Aftersun (2022)

Credit: Mubi (2022)

Mr Paul Mescal is the king of sadness. I can’t listen to Under Pressure by Queen ft. David Bowie the same way anymore because of the power it holds with this film. The cinematography is so simplistic and empty looking that it makes you focus on the storyline whilst giving you this sense of loneliness that Callum (Paul’s character) was feeling.

The second time I watched this was with my Dad, I don’t recommend you do the same unless you want to feel the effects 10x more. I really love this film it’s so beautiful in every way and the way loneliness and mental health are portrayed is definitely both effective and one of a kind.

3. Blue Valentine (2010)

Credit: The Weinstein Company (2010)

When I watched this a few months ago, I didn’t love it. Like I probably wouldn’t watch it again but I couldn’t help but notice how depressing the theme of the film is. If you don’t know, it’s based around the divorce of a married couple (played by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams) who were once so in love. We get to see flashbacks from when they first met all the way up to the present moment of their marriage ending. I am a child of divorce so this really hit home.

Ryan Gosling has an awful receding hairline in the present moment shots so that’s pretty depressing too. The ending made me cry unexpectedly out of nowhere, I felt gloomy whilst watching and then the ending just topped it off. I’ve added it to this list because it’s one of the most realistic, gritty sad films I’ve seen to date.

4. Cinema Paradiso (1988)

Credit: Arrow Films UK (1988)

If nostalgia was a film, this would be it. I recently rediscovered this and watching it as a grown up, I’ve realised how sad it is. The fact that it’s in Italian but it still makes me cry like a baby needs to be studied. I’m considering learning Italian just so I can watch this without the subtitles on. The soundtrack by Ennio Morriconne adds heaps to the overall nostalgia and yearning vibe. This film is about growing up and following your dreams, only to look back and maybe revisit your past and really miss the way things were. A quote I love from this is when Alfredo (Phillipe Noiret) has a heart to heart before teenage ‘Toto’ (Marco Leonardi) leaves his home town - “Don’t come back. Don’t give in to nostalgia. Forget us all.”

We are introduced to ‘Toto’ when he is a child and has a passion for going to the local cinema where he meets Alfredo, who teaches him all there is to know and love about cinema. We watch these characters grow up and experience life. It’s such a heartfelt story that definitely stays with you once you’ve watched it.

That’s my summarised list of some of the saddest films I’ve seen. I will most likely do a follow up soon. Thank you for reading!

See you soon.

Honorable Mentions-

One Day (TV Series, 2024)

Normal People (TV Series, 2020)