15 Best Sad Movies on HBO Max That Will Hit You in the Feels

Sometimes, a good cry is exactly what you need. HBO Max currently hosts a collection of 15 cinematic tearjerkers that offer a profound sense of catharsis. According to Entertainment Weekly, these films earn their emotional weight through masterful character development and raw performances.

Timeless Classics and Human Struggle

The neorealist masterpiece Bicycle Thieves(1948) remains a cornerstone of sad cinema. It follows a desperate man in postwar Italy who must find his stolen bike to support his family. Similarly, David Lean's Brief Encounter(1945) explores the heartbreaking pull between societal pressure and personal longing, proving that emotional themes from the 1940s are just as resonant today.

Modern Trauma and Unfiltered Realism

For those who want a more direct confrontation with reality, the 2005 documentary Dope Sick Love provides an unfiltered look at addiction on the streets of New York. Meanwhile, Jenna Ortega delivers a haunting performance in The Fallout(2022), capturing the immense trauma that students are under following school tragedies.