Shubhabrata Dutta
There is something so cathartic about having a good cry. Tragedy is one of the most powerful emotions a human being can feel – it is no wonder Greek playwrights used it as an effective storytelling tool. These movies highlight the deepest vulnerabilities, be it irony, grief, a fall from pride, or complicated relationships. However, the nuances of storytelling have evolved over the centuries, and cinema is open to exploring a range of genres. So, if you want to watch some heartbreaking dramas, we have compiled a list of Hulu films you might like!
14. The Last Song (2010)
While Julie Anne Robinson’s feature directorial debut ‘The Last Song’ is a teen romance on its face, there is a sad subplot that adds to the overall melancholy. Based on Nicholas Sparks’ 2009 novel, the film follows Veronica “Ronnie” Miller (Miley Cyrus), who, along with her brother, arrives at a beach town to spend summer with their father, Steve Miller (Greg Kinnear). Ronnie doesn’t like him other than for his love for music which she shares with him. The catch? Steve has terminal cancer. With the little time she has left with her father, will Ronnie be able to reconcile with him? She does have Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth), a local guy, to help her with that. You can watch the film here.
13. The Ultimate Playlist of Noise (2021)
How many sounds do you need to hear before you can afford to go deaf? This is the question that takes forward the plot of ‘The Ultimate Playlist of Noise.’ Directed by Bennett Lasseter, this film follows high school senior Marcus Lund (Keean Johnson), who loves music and sound in general. However, disaster strikes hardest when he is diagnosed with a tumor that will take his hearing away. Lund thus decides to make a playlist of 50 sounds, aka “noise,” and sets off on a cross-country trip for the same. His experiences along the way make for the rest of this moving film. You can stream it here.
12. Three Identical Strangers (2018)
Triplet brothers who were separated at birth are brought face to face by life itself. Is this what they mean when they say life is stranger than fiction? Definitely. Directed by Tim Wardle, ‘Three Identical Strangers’ is a documentary film that showcases a story from New York in 1980, showing how three strangers, Robert Shafran, Eddy Galland, and David Kellman, found out that they were identical triplets at the age of nineteen. To this day, the reason for their separation at birth is not known, but all that is known is the result of the digging by the respective parents, who weren’t told that their adopted kids were triplets by adoption agency Louise Wise and by the boys themselves. But beneath all this lies the saddening truth of people being lied to about their kids. You can watch the movie here.
11. The Secret Life of Bees (2008)
Adapted from the 2001 novel by Sue Monk Kidd, ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ is directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood. It is set in 1960s South Carolina and follows 14-year-old Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning), who runs from home with her caregiver, Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), to escape a dark past that involves her late mother. The two ladies arrive at Tiburon, South Carolina, where the Boatwright sisters take them. The eldest among them, August Boatwright (Queen Latifah), owns ‘Black Madonna Honey,’ whose honey jar is one of the mementos Lily has of her mother. How the sisters help Lily know about beekeeping and open her up to a new world full of love and care is what we find out in this charming drama. You can watch ‘The Secret Life of Bees’ here.
10. White God (2014)
Directed by Kornél Mundruczó, ‘White God’ is a Hungarian drama that tells the story of Hagen, a mixed-breed dog, who is taken away from his friend, 13-year-old Lili (Zsófia Psotta), and abandoned by the girl’s father. Hagen’s search for Lili is what follows and shows the troubles and torture he endures, including being forced into dog fights and put in cages while looking for his beloved human. In the endeavor, Hagen is joined by other dogs, too, all of whom he frees from the city dog pound. Compelling, moving, and certainly tearjerking, ‘White God’ is a true-to-form addition to this list and a must-watch for animal lovers. You can watch the film here.
9. Cast Away (2020)
This cult survival drama stars Tom Hanks as Chuck Noland, a FedEx systems analyst, stranded on a secluded, uninhabited island after the cargo plane he was in crashes is hit by a storm and crashes in the ocean. He spent 4 years with almost no hope of being rescued and talking to a volleyball, which he found in the washed-up cargo. The hopelessness of Noland almost becomes normal and thus much more painful for the viewers, thanks to Hanks’ acting, thereby making ‘Cast Away’ a saddening film. Noland is eventually rescued, but the bittersweet ending further adds to the overall sorrow. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, ‘Cast Away’ is a Golden-Globe-winning and Oscar-nominated drama co-starring Helen Hunt, Nick Searcy, Chris Noth, and Lari White. You can watch it here.
8. Minding the Gap (2018)
Directed by Bing Liu, ‘Minding the Gap’ is a documentary film that chronicles his experiences of growing up in Rockford, Illinois. Set against the backdrop of skateboard culture, Liu, along with his friends Keire Johnson and Zack Mulligan, re-examine their formative years. Through this documentary, the director tries to establish a link between an individual’s upbringing and understanding of masculinity.
While life circumstances caused the three friends to part ways, what remains common to their respective journeys is that they saw abuse at home growing up. Thus, the Academy Award-nominated documentary explores hard-hitting themes with nuance and sensitivity. Are you keen on watching the film? You can do so right here!
7. The United States vs. Billie Holiday (2021)
The world as we know it today is a result of the tireless efforts and sacrifices that people before us have made. Based on the book ‘Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days of the War on Drugs,’ the biographical drama film puts the spotlight on the life of singer Billie Holiday. The film particularly underlines the final years of her life and how she found herself at the center of the War on Drugs. However, one of her most significant contributions to society is her song “Strange Fruit,” which became a call to action against the lynching of black people; this sequence is documented in the film.
However, the fact that most of the events depicted in ‘The United States vs. Billie Holiday’ actually happened in real life makes the narrative more powerful. The film uses the song at some pivotal points in the storyline, further enhancing the heartbreaking moments in the movie. Fortunately, the drama film is a part of Hulu’s streaming library, and you can watch it here.
6. Life of Pi (2012)
Directed by Ang Li, this emotionally moving adventure drama is told from the POV of Pi Patel, a man who follows three religions, Hinduism, Christianity, and Islam, out of his love for God. When he was a teenager, he was stranded on a boat with a Bengal tiger, Richard Parker, after the ship carrying his father and their zoo animals was hit by a storm. Pi lost his entire family and all animals save for Richard Parker. The adventures and experiences of Pi and Richard Parker and how they heed each other to survive at sea for 227 are underscored by lessons on loneliness, survival, morality, and ultimately, the act of letting go. A true-to-form tearjerker with the relationship of man and nature at its heart, ‘Life of Pi’ is a must-watch. The film stars Irrfan Khan, Suraj Sharma, Tabu, Adil Hussain, Rafe Spall, and Gérard Depardieu. You can watch it here.
5. Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)
Painting a portrait takes a lot more than just looking at the subject and putting it on your canvas using a paintbrush. And the extent to which things can go for an artist making a portrait is showcased in ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ in the most intimate manner. Set in 18th France in 1770, the film tells the story of Marianne, a painter who has been brought in to make a wedding portrait of Héloïse, who is soon to be married off, although she is reluctant. To ensure that she doesn’t find out, Marianne has to spend time with her during the day, observing her carefully and then secretly painting her during the night. In the process, the two grow closer to each other, separated by one secret that finally takes the shape of a devastating yet beautiful climax. You can check out the film here.
4. The Worst Person in the World (2021)
While this film inclines more toward exploring life’s mundane uncertainty, Renate Reinsve’s brilliant portrayal of the protagonist, Julie, as she navigates her “modern love” journey makes it a heartbreaking film in all its glory. We follow Julie through her happiness, sadness, and heartbreak as she shifts from her late 20s to 30s, underscored by a conflict of freedom and imprisonment. A deeply personal film directed by Joachim Trier, ‘The Worst Person in the World’ is a true revelation of our position in this world today: alone and waiting for something to happen while trying to make do with what we have. You can watch the film here.
3. On the Count of Three (2022)
A jet-black comedy that is terrifyingly sad, ‘On the Count of Three’ follows two friends, Val (Carmichael) and Kevin (Christopher Abbott), who have decided to kill themselves together. It is their last day alive, and they are wondering what they should do before ending their lives. Telling you what they do would be to ruin the film but we can tell you that it’s all emotionally heavy. If you can handle dark stuff, you can watch this Jerrod Carmichael directorial here.
2. Flee (2021)
Animation is cinema. It is not a genre for kids; it’s a medium. This is what Guillermo del Toro stated when he and his team won the award for Best Animated Motion Picture at the 2023 Golden Globe Awards for ‘Pinocchio.’ ‘Flee’ will make you realize del Toro’s statement. Directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen, it is a Danish animated film that brings together animation and actual archival footage to showcase the life of Amin Nawabi, who fled Afghanistan and sought asylum in Denmark. His past, laced with the tragic accurate depiction of a war-struck Afghanistan, as well as his personal emotional experiences, prove the dual nature of humanity. It would be wrong to tell you what happens at the end as it would ruin the experience, but we can tell you that the film tests our endurance and hope. You may watch ‘Flee’ here.
1. Nomadland (2021)
From highly acclaimed director Chloé Zhao, ‘Nomadland’ is a reflective film based on the nonfiction book titled ‘Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century.’ The movie features Frances McDormand in the lead role as Fern, a woman who loses everything, including her husband and job. Therefore, she makes the life-changing decision to sell all her belongings and travel around in her van as a nomad.
Fern comes across several people in her journey who add a new meaning to her life. Although the narrative establishes that Fern is on a path to being at peace with herself, the process is punctuated with several painful moments. Frances McDormand delivered one of her career-best performances and rightfully received the Best Actress Oscar that year for it. You can stream the film right here.
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