2022 was a triumphant year in cinema that featured a spectacular array of poignant and emotionally-driven pictures that truly touched audiences. From spellbinding stories of crumbling friendships and devoted lovers, to a father’s journey of reconnecting with his daughter amid perilous health struggles, moviegoers have been treated to exceptional tearjerker films this year.

Brendan Fraser has seen a much deserved resurgence in popularity over the past few years (fondly dubbed by fans as the “Brenaissance”), culminating in his Oscar-worthy performance in Darren Aronofsky’s hit The Whale. Martin McDonagh directed the critically-acclaimed The Banshees of Inisherin, reuniting Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson in a touching look at friendship gone wrong. Let’s take a closer look at some of the saddest movies of 2022.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

9 The In Between

     Paramount+Netflix

The sci-fi romance drama The In Between stars Joey King as a cynic of love who after feeling unwanted all her life due to being in the foster system finds her perspective changed when she meets a true romantic that awakens feelings within her. Tessa’s faith is shattered when her boyfriend is tragically killed in a car accident that she survives, causing her to question whether he is trying to reach her from the afterlife.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

Told both in the present and with a series of flashbacks leading up to the heartbreaking event, the tear-jerker teen tragedy offers a unique spin on the typical romance flick with its use of supernatural elements and thoughtfully executed memories of the duo.

8 To Leslie

     Momentum Pictures 

Michael Morris directed the poignant drama To Leslie, which features Andrea Riseborough as the struggling titular alcoholic who, after winning $190,000 in the local lottery, finally believes her luck has changed and that she can properly provide for her young son.

After blowing through the prize money on drugs and alcohol, Leslie finds herself living a life of squalor six years later, and she is forced to face her estranged son and those she wronged as a result of her addictions. Leslie embarks on a journey of self-discovery and retribution in the sobering and brutally honest picture, which had its worldwide premiere at South by Southwest and earned nearly universal acclaim by critics and audiences alike.

7 The Sky Is Everywhere

     A24 / Apple TV+

In the wake of her beloved older sister’s sudden death, 17-year-old musical prodigy Lennie Walker (Grace Kaufman) turns to her eloquent imagination for solace in the coming-of-age romantic drama The Sky Is Everywhere, which chronicles the bright teenager as she finds love among her sorrow and heartache.

Based on the Jandy Nelson novel of the same name, the visually stunning film delves into the many facets of grief through breathtaking imagery and compelling performances by its young cast. In their glowing review of the drama, The Guardian wrote, “The film is strongest in its examination of the emotional scramble of grief, actions that far outpace the characters’ ability to process or understand them.”

6 Benediction

     Roadside Attractions

The biographical drama Benediction tells the true story of revered English poet and World War I veteran Siegfried Sassoon, who rose to prominence after voicing his disapproval for his country’s continued involvement in the conflict via his use of his profound poetry. The picture chronicles Sassoon’s stormy life and his journey of self-acceptance regarding his homosexuality, which he attempted to ignore by turning to marriage and conforming to Catholicism.

The heavy drama from the great Terence Davies features stellar performances by Jack Lowden and Peter Capaldi as an older and younger version of Sassoon, with the talented duo being lauded for their multi-layered and moving portrayals of the conflicted poet.

5 Spoiler Alert

     Focus Features

The Big Bang Theory’s Jim Parsons showed off his dramatic acting chops when he starred in the touching romantic drama Spoiler Alert. The film recounts the heart-wrenching love story between Manhattan photographer Kit Cowan and his journalist partner of 14 years, Michael Ausiello, as they are forced to accept Kit’s terminal cancer diagnosis. The moving picture is adapted from Ausiello’s memoir about his marriage to Cowan and chronicles the final 11 months of his life, depicting how their love grew and deepened during the harrowing time and how the devastating loss impacted his outlook on life and love.

4 A Jazzman’s Blues

     Netflix 

Tyler Perry directed, wrote, and produced the Netlix original drama A Jazzman’s Blues, telling the touching tale of a forbidden romance between teenagers Bayou (Joshua Boone) and Leanne (Solea Pfeiffer) in a small Georgia town in the ’30s, which sorrowfully ends when Leanne’s mother learns of the relationship and takes her daughter away.

When the pair are reunited in 1947, sparks fly between them once more despite Leanne now being married to a racist white man, culminating in a devastating tragedy. Perry had been wanting to make the film for over 27 years after having written the screenplay upon meeting playwright August Wilson; he revealed in an interview, “I’m excited for people to see it as it is, in the truth and the rawness of what I wanted it to be.”

3 The Banshees of Inisherin

     Searchlight Pictures

Chronicling the dissolution of a decades-long friendship, the black tragicomedy The Banshees of Inisherin stars Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as two drinking buddies and close pals whose camaraderie abruptly ends when one of the men ends their relationship, distressing the other.

Combining dark and profane humor with outright tragedy, the tonally unique picture follows Farrell’s character Pádraic Súilleabháin as he spirals and finds his existence destabilized by the blunt dismissal from his former friend Colm Doherty (Gleeson). The Banshees of Isherin received a 15-minute standing ovation when it had its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, and has gone on to earn eight Golden Globe nominations including Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy.

2 The Whale

     A24

Brendan Fraser delivers a performance of a lifetime in Darren Aronofsky’s emotionally-driven drama The Whale, in which he portrays a severely obese English teacher who spends his days teaching online college courses and hiding from society out of fear of his appearance. Charlie (Fraser) decides to make an attempt to reconnect with his teenage daughter Ellie (Stranger Things’ Sadie Sink), whom he has not had a relationship with in eight years, and wishes to see her as his health continues to decline.

Fraser earned rave reviews for his heart-wrenching performance, earning a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actor. The New York Post wrote, “Fraser, so good, takes what could be a joke, a flat tragedy, or even a lecture about weight and imbues it with gorgeous humanity.”

1 Till

     United Artists

Following the inspiring actions by influential activist and educator Mamie Till-Bradley after the tragic and shocking death of her 14-year-old son Emmett, the heavy-hearted biographical drama Till depicts the mother’s brave efforts to raise national awareness of the brutal murder of her child in 1955 by Mississippi white supremacists. The Chinonye Chukwu picture is told entirely from the perspective of the prominent Civil Rights activist and chronicles her courageous decision to have her beloved son’s funeral be open casket, shocking the country with the savage nature of the crime.

Danielle Deadwyler powerfully portrays Mamie and her brilliantly captures her unfathomable grief, with her performance being nominated for multiple accolades including a Critics’ Choice and Satellite Award. CNN wrote in their review, “Anchored by Danielle Deadwyler’s towering performance, it’s a wrenching portrayal of reluctant heroism under the most horrific of parental circumstances.”