While movies can be an entertaining form of escapism, they can also capture the raw and nuanced reality of life. While some films take us to the stars, the past, or other worlds entirely, some invite us to delve into the profound world of the common human emotion. Some films even explore these depths while also taking place in fantasy settings among non-human characters. Regardless of the medium, emotional films can help the audience process their own emotions and come to terms with struggles such as grief and trauma. Whether the film makes these themes the focal point of the story, or just incorporates them into a broader plot, a great number of projects tackle these subjects with grace and heart. Here are twenty such films that accurately portray grief.
20 The Lovely Bones (2009)
This moving film covers one of the most heartbreaking topics imaginable, the assault and murder of a 14-year-old girl. Saoirse Ronan stars as Susie Salmon, the victim of her neighbor and serial killer played by Stanley Tucci. She watches over her family as the grief tears them apart and as the investigation unfolds until the trail grows cold. The Lovely Bones is a multifaceted view on grief, from the perspective of the victim and their family alike. Tragically, the killer is not apprehended, but fate has its own form of justice in store for him. More importantly, the Salmon family finds their healing, and Susie’s soul finds its peace.
19 Bridge to Terabithia (2007)
Kids’ movies can be incredibly moving too, and often tackle rather mature themes in ways that are digestible to younger audiences. Any 2000s baby will recall the impact that Bridge to Terabithia had on them. The story of friendship between a young boy and girl living next to each other carries on as the pair explore their imaginative world of Terabithia. The loss of a friend through the eyes of a child is a powerful narrative, and has helped many of its young audiences understand the intense feelings of grief and loss.
18 Ghost (1990)
In similar fashion to The Lovely Bones but with a distinctly different narrative style, Ghost follows a victim’s journey to protecting a loved one as the story of his own murder unravels. Starring Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze, this film has produced notable iconic scenes, such as the famous pottery scene. Ghost was a solo directorial debut for Jerry Zucker, paving the way for other moving supernatural stories such as The Lovely Bones. The film grossed over $500 million at the box office, securing its place as a classic of the ‘90s.
17 Collateral Beauty
Collateral Beauty entangles real life grief-induced mental struggles with the orchestrated mind games of nefarious business partners. Howard is struggling with the loss of his young daughter, and his greedy business partners are only eager to sell their company. In a bizarre and elaborate plot to cruelly gaslight Howard until he is declared unfit to hold majority shares of the company, his partners hire actors to embody abstract concepts in an effort to make Howard out to be insane. In the process, Howard is able to come to terms with his own grief and ground himself with reality. Collateral Beauty refers to the acts of kindness and humanity that follow a tragedy, such as the death of a child, an idea that Howard learns to acquaint himself with in his healing process.
16 Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2011)
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close really sinks into the raw feelings of depression and anxiety that one can spiral into after a significant trauma and loss. The narrator, Oskar, lost his father in the September 11th terrorist attacks. Oskar’s grief and natural frustrations are further exacerbated by his autism, making the difficult circumstances even more scary and confusing for the boy. Inspired by the scavenger hunts his father would create for him, Oskar embarks on a city-wide search for answers after finding a mysterious envelope and his father’s voicemails from during the attack. The film offers a unique perspective on grief through the eyes of a neurodivergent child, and explores a tragic moment in history through the real, everyday people that were impacted.
15 Remember Me (2010)
Remember Me showcases one of the most powerful portrayals of the September 11th attacks on the World Trade Center, because it doesn’t even introduce them into the plot until the last few minutes of the film. This sounds counterintuitive, but that’s the genius of the film. We see a heartfelt story of a couple struggling with grief and reconciling difficult family relationships. By all means it seems like a story about common people with common problems, until we see a schoolteacher writing “Tuesday, September 11, 2001”. One of the final scenes pans away from Robert Pattinson’s character of Tyler, revealing that he is on the 101st floor of the North Tower. It brings home the chilling fact that the victims of 9/11 were not just characters in an event in history; they were real people with complex lives, love stories, problems, traumas, fears, and hopes, all of which were brought to an end in the most brutal and unexpected way.
14 Demolition (2015)
A widower, Davis, is driven by loneliness and grief to befriend a customer service representative, Karen, with whom he over-shares his personal struggles and emotional woes. As the friendship grows closer, so too does it grow more complex as Davis forms deeper relationships with Karen and her son. Throughout his journey, Davis makes new discoveries about his relationship with his late wife, ultimately reaching greater clarity about their imperfect relationship and the nature of his grief.
13 Hereditary (2018)
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This horror film has greater depths than the audience may expect going into the experience. It starts with the introduction to the strange Graham family, the matriarch of which has just passed away. The tone is macabre from the start, and becomes increasingly tense and dark, with one of the most gruesome moments being the death and decapitation of the youngest Graham daughter, Charlie. Annie, Charlie and Peter’s mother, insists that Peter bring his little sister to what Annie believes is an innocent school barbecue. It is in fact, a high school party, at which Charlie, who is deathly allergic to nuts, eats a walnut chocolate cake that sends her into anaphylactic shock.
As Peter frantically drives his sister to the hospital, an unfortunate maneuver leads to Charlie’s death. Grief is confronted under the most gruesome of circumstances, as Annie finds her daughter’s body the next day. It is a complex view on grief as Annie struggles with feelings of resentment toward her son, who she feels is largely responsible for the terrible accident. The dark emotion descends into horror as a family history of occult connections and demonic possession comes to light, giving way to a terrifying ending full of nightmare fuel.
12 Marley & Me (2008)
This sweet movie based on a book of the same name is the autobiographical narrative of John Grogan, who along with his wife, adopted a rambunctious and mischievous Labrador Retriever they named Marley. Being the pet parents of Marley proves to be no small task, especially as the couple juggles expanding their family and growing their careers. John finds success as a columnist with Marley as his muse, chronicling the exploits of his uncontrollable four-legged friend. The movie is a tear-jerker as well, with its final act including Marley’s death. For those that know the love of a dog, it is a heartwarming homage to the human-canine bond.
11 Rabbit Hole (2010)
Grief is not a linear process, and it can often create strife in relationships that one might assume would bond through mutual healing. Often, it can tear marriages apart when couples struggle with the death of a child. Such is the case for Rebecca and Howard Corbett, whose son, Danny, is accidently hit by a car after running onto the road. The teenage driver is inspired to create a comic book after which the film is named. Rebecca and Howard are nearly driven to affairs, effectively distanced from each other for most of the film, and alienated from their loved ones as they flounder in the all-consuming grief. Rabbit Hole is largely a study on coping mechanisms, portraying the great range of them that can exist with compassion and nuance. Even as the movie comes to a close and the couple is seen beginning to resume their lives in a healthy manner, it is an ending that emphasizes strength rather than true healing. The loss of a child is something that these parents might never truly recover from, but to be able to find joy in their daily lives in spite of their pain is victory enough.
10 Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Imagine being so destroyed by a breakup that you undergo an entire medical procedure to forget that person that broke your heart, only to end up with them all over again when you meet as supposed strangers. This is the premise of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, in which free-spirited Clementine (Kate Winslet) and introverted Joel (Jim Carrey) attempt to cure their heartbreak by erasing their memories of each other. Clementine is the first to undergo the procedure, which leads Joel to do it as well. The film explores not only the risks and pitfalls of a dangerously advanced future, but the concept that what’s meant to be will be. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind showcases the irrational lengths people will go to in order to cope with loss.
9 Pieces of A Woman (2020)
Like Rabbit Hole, Pieces of a Woman tackles the loss of a child. Martha and Sean opt for a home birth for the delivery of their first daughter, an experience that goes wrong minutes after the child is born when she stops breathing. As court proceedings against the possibly negligent midwife unfold, the couple struggles with their grief and difficult family relationships. Martha and Sean have vastly different reactions to the event, with Sean’s grief leading him back into the drug abuse he had long recovered from and into the arms of Martha’s cousin. Martha’s grief is quieter than Sean’s, though it is challenged by her mother’s harsh and insensitive input. In the end, Martha is left to confront her grief and heal on her own. As difficult as this circumstance is, Martha is able to find her healing and eventually start a family again.
8 The Others (2001)
This is another movie from the point of view of spirits, except this time, you don’t know it for most of the movie. We meet Grace Stewart and her young children, whose household staff has inexplicably disappeared. The children often allude to the day “mummy went mad”, as their mother impatiently awaits the return of their father from the war. The family struggles with what appears to be an unwelcome supernatural presence, and they discover that their newly hired threesome of servants are ghosts as well. Just as the family becomes convinced that their home is haunted, the unexpected truth comes to light. The apparitions roaming the halls are not the ghosts, but rather the new, living inhabitants of the house. Grace and her children, along with the new servants, are in fact, the ghosts. Grace’s husband never did return from the war, and the news of his death sent Grace into a psychotic break in which she killed her children. The film is as much of a psychological thriller as it is a deep dive into the effects of profound grief and denial.
7 Up (2009)
One of the most touching Pixar movies to date, Up is a triumph of an animated film. It marries memorable animation sequences with a truly touching story, finding heart and humanity among imaginative scenes. Carl is a widower still mourning the loss of his childhood sweetheart and lifelong love, Ellie. Stubbornly resisting the modernization of his neighborhood, which threatens to uproot his cherished home, Carl attaches a mass of balloons to his house in order to float away to Ellie’s beloved dream destination of Paradise Falls. Accidently taking a young boy scout named Russell with him, Carl and the boy have incredible and daring adventures alongside newfound animal friends. Not only does Up discuss the grief of losing a lifelong partner, but it also sheds some light on the loneliness and neglect that the elderly are subject to as times change, and they become seemingly forgotten.
6 P.S. I Love You (2007)
A terminally-ill husband leaves a series of letters and pre-organized adventures behind for his beloved wife, Holly. As Holly grapples with Gerry’s death, she follows the instructions of her late husband’s messages, all of which end with “P.S. I love you”. She reconnects with the friends and family that she had previously, in her grief, shut out of her life. During a trip to Gerry’s homeland of Ireland, Holly learns the importance of embracing new love while honoring her feelings toward her husband’s death.
5 Coco (2017)
In true accordance and homage to Mexican traditions and culture, Coco presents a much more colorful and joyful representation of death. Rather than depicting death as something dreadful to fear, Coco celebrates life and ancestry with vibrant sequences of the afterlife. A young Miguel discovers a family secret that takes him on a supernatural adventure and brings long-awaited reconciliations, and music, back into his family. Featuring a memorable soundtrack and beautiful representations of Mexican culture, Coco shines as an animated film that is equal parts heartfelt and uplifting.
4 Inception (2010)
The epic Christopher Nolan action-thriller is known for its mind-bending visuals and exhilarating sequences, but the intricate plot brings with it an element of emotion. Dom Cobb’s world of corporate espionage is marred by the trauma of his wife’s suicide, the apparition of which threatens to derail his sanity. Inception shines a light on how grief can bleed into so many aspects of a person’s life. The ending leaves us wondering whether Dom has reached acceptance of his late wife’s death, or if he has surrendered to a fictional world in search of solace. The emotional themes of Inception manage to stand out and hold their own even in the midst of groundbreaking cinematography and action.
3 Midsommar (2019)
Midsommar does not present itself as a movie about grief at first glance, as viewers are wrapped up in the bizarre horror of the Midsommar festival. Dani is only in Sweden because her boyfriend felt too bad to break up with her following the murder-suicide of her sister and parents. Her grief after this tragic and life-altering incident shapes who she becomes as the film progresses, until she becomes susceptible to the cult’s indoctrinations. Despite presenting as a perfectly normal, albeit heavily traumatized person, Dani finds herself deeply entrenched in the murderous ways of this strange commune.
2 We Bought A Zoo
This wholesome family movie revolves around a family’s grief, and the impulsive choices they make in their healing journey. Desperately craving a fresh start after the death of his wife, Benjamin Mee decides to move to a new place with his family. Serendipitously, he finds a beautiful home that comes with a small zoo on the grounds. Determined to heal his family and start anew, he devotes himself to the restoration and grand re-opening of the zoo. Throughout this journey, the Mee family comes together and heals through acceptance and the support of their new community.
1 Big Fish
Big Fish is the touching tale of father and son. Edward and Will, the after and son, respectively, grow to have a strained relationship, as Will calls into question the credibility of many of Edward’s stories. Will grows up hearing fantastical tales from his father, with tales including anything from giant men to giant fish, with Edward being the recurring hero in a series of unbelievable anecdotes. Most importantly, Edward claims he saw his own death in the glass eye of a witch, with this being yet another story that Will casts serious doubt upon. As Will and his wife spend time with a dying Edward, the son learns to appreciate his father’s stories until he begins to believe in them after all. Will learns that many of the stories were rooted in some truth; and he grieves his after with the peace of having reconciled before it was too late.