Here’s a sorta unusual list, counting down the 20 best feel-bad movies of the last 20 years. These are different from standard tearjerkers, movies that go for the melodramatic in order to elicit a cathartic sniffle; rather, these are movies with an essentially tragic view of life, yet which are full of the vitality of the human experience in even the most adverse and painful circumstances. I’m glad someone paid tribute to the oddly exhilarating, cleansingfeeling of despair one gets from watching an exquisitely crafteddowner, and it’s particularly good to see shoutouts to The Sweet Hereafter, Igby Goes Down, Henry Fool, Safe, and Lilya 4-Ever. Still, how can you make a list of recent feel-bad movies without mentioning Neil LaBute (particularly Your Friends and Neighbors, pictured) or Todd Solondz or Lars von Trier? Where’s Requiem for a Dream, or Maria Full of Grace, or Magnolia? List your favorite feel-bad movies below; you’ll feel better, I promise.
What's your favorite feel-bad movie?
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No list like this can be complete without “Requiem for a Dream”. Its the only good movie ever that I have specifically told people not to watch. If someone asked me, “Is it good?” I say “Yep”. “Should I watch it?” “Nope”.
Have you ever seen “Water”? Oh my gosh- fantastic movie but SAD!!! I totally did not know what it was about when I watched it. I think I was sad for over a week- kept coming back to me you know?
i remember leaving “the life of henry gale” and thinking to myself, “wow. that was poignant and depressing.” sounds pretty feel-bad to me!
We can’t forget “Terms of Endearment” which had an ending leaving 3 motherless children with an overbearing grandmother who couldn’t stand their father. It also led to a horrible sequel.
love Story…Ryan O’Neal and Ali Mcgraw. She dies in the end. They both were each others first love. “Love means never having to say your sorry”. Enough said.
I’m on-board with Requiem for a Dream, but to add to the list, where’s In the Company of Men?
After watching The Sweet Hereafter and Magnolia, which were well made, I swore off ‘feel bad movies’. Truth be told, I don’t want to feel bad. I get that every time I turn on CNN.
Sorry, but I wanna feel good.
Children of Men comes to mind, which is a stunningly bleak look at the last days of mankind. Also, Brokeback Mountain.
The House of Sand and Fog is one for me. The movie captures all the tragic events, but the main character is significantly less attractive in the book than Jennifer Connelly is in the movie. But, hey, that’s Hollywood.
As an architect and someone who grew up in a beach house every summer for the last 30 years, I’ve always been very partial to films about a person’s connection with their home. That’s why I loved LIFE AS A HOUSE. But very, very sad at the end. See it for yourself.
To Eric F: Life as a House is a wonderful movie I had completely forgotten about! Thanks for the reminder. I’m an architect too.
I’m going with “House of Sand and Fog.”
No Country for Old Men. I was totally, totally depressed after I saw it.
If the music didn’t make me feel so good, I would say “Once”. When I found out the translation of what the girl said to the guy when he asked her if she loved her husband, it really depressed me that they didn’t get together in the end.
“Boogie Nights” is one of the most depressing films in recent memory. “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” is no picnic at Grandma’s and the end of Frank Darabount’s “The Mist” couldn’t be awfuller (yes, I just made up a word).
I LOVE feel-bad movies, particularly some of those previously mentioned, but I would have to say my favorite is 21 Grams
One word: SCHINDLER’S LIST!
Sorry. That was two words!
bonnylass, my family has a house in Westhampton Beach, Long Island that has been a part of my life for the past 30 years. Two times, I’ve had to personally fight to keep from losing it; the first time to mother nature’s wrath and the second time to a government tax error. In the end, home has perservered!
That’s why I love films with “home connections” like LIFE AS A HOUSE and UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN. When Kevin Kline’s life comes to an end (LIFE AS A HOUSE) before he could fully realize the dream of completing his home by the ocean, it hit me on a personal level. Those scenes where he just sits on his wooden deck staring at the sea are very poignant.
Well, excuse me while I start playing the violin now.
“The Squid and the Whale”…just a brutal look at divorce and how parents can wreck lives by acting more childish than their children.
Also, I definitely agree with Brian about “The Mist”. I liked the movie a LOT, but damn that ending is dark.
Welcome to the Dollhouse
There’s a little-known movie called “Waking the Dead” starring Billy Crudup and Jennifer Connelly. It’s based on a WONDERFUL book by Scott Spencer. Anyway, it is absolutely devastating. The opening scene is a tight shot of Billy’s face as he cries uncontrollably (just to give you a taste).
However, it’s one of the most romantic, well-acted movies I’ve ever seen. Highly recommend it.
I’m much more ikely to watch a “feel bad” movie than a “feel-good” movie. What does that say about me? I’ve seen “Requiem for a Dream” three times, and bawled every time (especially at the end). Two movies I actually love but that leave me feeling depressed are “The United States of Leland” and “Brick”. I own both. There aer also two movies I will never, ever be able to watch again: “The Squid and the Whale” and “Mysterious Skin”- too depressing, even for me!
The movie that came to mind as I read this was Leaving Las Vegas. Wonderfully acted, but I will never watch it again. Too depressing.
Oh snap. I should have read the list before I posted. Waking the Dead at #4. Woo hoo.
I watched “Dancer in the Dark” with Bjork on a date. Which was just slightly less romantic than when I went to see “Born of the Fourth of July” on a first date. After Dancer ended me and the date were just shell shocked. The version of the goodnight kiss I got that night was him muttering “uh… I gotta go.”
Babel
Hotel Rowanda
Children of Men
Legends of the Fall
Seven
“Closer” with Clive Owen, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, and Julia Roberts.
The Sea Inside. Beautiful movie, great acting, but seriously depressing premise. Made me love Javier Bardem even more!
I’d like to add Amen with the much underrated Ulrich Tukur to the lot. Also should definitely include Die Brücke.