13 Sad Romance Movies to Watch in 2022
When you need a good cry without any real lasting damage, flipping through the offerings on Netflix, Hulu, and any of your other favorite streamers can offer up the feels with just a few clicks of the remote.
Sadly, go-to flick The Notebook got wiped from Netflix in 2020, meaning viewers have had to go elsewhere for heartbreak (the classic is on HBO Max now). Here's what to watch when you need to feel things, even if you've got the iciest heart.
Remember Me
Emilie de Ravin and Robert Pattinson star alongside Pierce Brosnan in a tale of family issues, new love, and tragedy. If it sounds a little heavier than Twilight, it is, but seeing Pattinson in a role that doesn't involve body glitter could be the thing to get fans past his vampire phase.
A Walk to Remember
It doesn't get more classic (or weepy) than Mandy Moore's star turn in this '00s tearjerker. Together with Shane West, she managed to ruin an entire generation and make Nicholas Sparks movies an entire genre.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey play a couple that breaks up and signs up for a procedure that wipes the memories of the relationship from their minds. It's a modern classic for a reason, even though the plot sounds like a highbrow art film.
Marriage Story
Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson both earned a slew of award nominations for this Netflix movie — not to mention an amazing appearance from Laura Dern. Consider it a firsthand look at a conscious uncoupling, only without goop's signature Zen approach to divorce.
Her
Another Scarlett Johansson pick, though viewers don't actually see her. Instead, they hear her alongside Joaquin Phoenix in this mash-up of sci-fi and romance that may make people reconsider their relationship with technology.
Moonlight
This award-winning coming-of-age story shows a different kind of love. Though there are romances, Moonlight is more about coming together as a community than the usual search for a soul mate.
About Time
Rachel McAdams stars in a sad movie that happens to be dressed up as a rom-com, just in case anyone's looking for lighter fare. Throw in some time travel with that and viewers can kick back without worrying about a tsunami of tears.
The Theory of Everything
And for anyone looking to be completely devastated, this Stephen Hawking biopic follows the theoretical physicist and cosmologist's life, including his relationships and how his ALS diagnosis affected his marriages.
Roma
Another award-winning pick, Roma is a heartbreaking story that draws on director Alfonso Cuarón's life, though the main character Cleo is the real focus — and for good reason.
Carol
If Cate Blanchett isn't enough of a draw, this tense story of forbidden love (Hey, Rooney Mara!) and heartbreak will need more than a single box of tissues. Based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith, there are enough twists for a case of cry-induced whiplash.
The Notebook
Full of iconic lines ("If you're a bird, I'm a bird.") and scenes (kissing in the rain, rowing a boat through pristine white geese), this Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams classic is a favorite for a reason. The Nicholas Sparks adaptation is the blueprint for cinematic love stories and a touchstone for just about anyone who grew up in the '00s.
Call Me By Your Name
Idyllic Italian backdrops and a tear-inducing story involving forbidden love: that's the combination for the cult-favorite flick starring Timothée Chalamet. Set in the '80s, it's full of throwback tunes and free of the annoying tech-related drama that comes with more modern depictions of love and romance. Come for the love story, stay for vacation inspo.
Titanic
You know this ends, but it's about the journey, not the destination (which is a ... raft). Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio make their star turns in this iconic flick set aboard an ill-fated ocean liner. Yes, this is the movie with the Celine Dion song. Yes, it also has the hand-smacking-the-car-glass scene. Will that stop anyone from watching it again? Never.