Someone Online Asked, “What Is The Saddest Line In A Movie?” And 44 People Delivered

Cinema can be mesmerizing. It’s an experience that almost lets us live through countless lifetimes and leaves us with memories engrained in our minds that we would otherwise never experience.

Sadness, of course, is one of the main emotions that the movies throw at us. As people in this Reddit thread shared, sometimes, the writing can be so powerful that it only takes a few well-placed words to leave you crying rivers. Scroll down to see what they wrote!

For your convenience, we added all the missing movie titles in square brackets.

More info: Reddit

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You don’t have to be a movie critic to notice and fully enjoy moments like the ones shared in this thread. It is actually when casually watching these films in the comfort of your home that these unexpected moments hit you the hardest.

When Bored Panda reached out to the OP, Andrewreddy, we discovered that this is exactly how he got the idea for this thread. He was watching ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ with his girlfriend when the character played by Colin Farrell said, “You used to be nice. Or did you never used to be? Oh, God. Maybe you never used to be?”

“My girlfriend said that that line was just heartbreaking. This just got me thinking about what it was for me, but then I wanted to see what it would be for others since it’s a fairly subjective question,” explained the poster.

The author decided to seek these answers on Reddit and was very surprised by how many like-minded people his question attracted. “I had posted things before that maybe got 100 upvotes. So it was a bit surreal that it was as popular as it was.”

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When asked what film line he found the saddest, the OP went with a moment from Charlie Kaufman’s ‘Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.’ There, Joel, played by Jim Carrey, relives a memory of lying in bed with Clementine, played by Kate Winslet, who tells him how she used to be teased for being ugly when she was younger.

When Joel starts convincing her that she’s pretty, Clementine begins crying and tells him never to leave her. At this point, due to the memory being erased, everything starts to fade away, and the character calmly calls out, “Please, let me keep this memory. Just this one.” 

“It hit me particularly hard with the context but also the delivery. His delivery is so timid, and it’s almost a desperate cry for help. It really struck me in that way,” explained Andrewreddy, sharing feelings that most viewers of this movie could strongly relate to.

#7

"I thought you said that God answers all prayers?"

"He does. Sometimes, the answer is no."

[Source: M*A*S*H]

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Sadness is the kind of emotion we usually try to avoid. So why do we love sad movies so much? Isn’t it kind of counterintuitive to seek experiences that elicit these feelings and sometimes even bring us to tears? Well, according to No Film School, there are several reasons for this, which are quite easily understood once we take a deeper look. 

While we might appreciate the movie’s story and artistry, there’s usually more to it. For example, researchers say that these films give us a chance to experience “reality” from a safe distance, allowing us to confront our deep and real emotions while in a secure environment. At the same time, this kind of experience helps us validate our emotions, showing us that we’re not alone in these life struggles.

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"I never had friends later on like the ones I had when I was 12."

[Source: Stand By Me]

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"I would have followed you, my brother, my captain, my King" - Boromir

Boromir is truly a great character, and every time I rewatch Fellowship, this and other scenes always make me cry. :(

[Source: The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring]

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#13

“All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain.”

[Source: Blade Runner]

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Experiencing the emotions that come with these tragedies can also strengthen our bonds with the people we share them with. It can also help us feel more grateful and happy about the things that we have, reminding us to appreciate that which we sometimes forget and take for granted.

And when these journeys we witness on screen bring us to tears, there are even more benefits. According to Medical News Today, crying alleviates stress and anxiety, regulates emotions, relieves pain, aids sleep, and even enhances mood by releasing oxytocin and endorphins. And if that’s not enough, it can also help your body release toxins and fight eye bacteria while also slightly improving your vision for the time being.

#14

Doc, you ought to be in bed, what the hell you doin' this for anyway?

Because, Wyatt Earp is my friend.

Hell, I've got lots of friends.

I don't.

[Source: Tombstone]

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#15

Littlefoot, let your heart guide you, it whispers, so listen closely....mother?....mother?

I remember watching this movie with my mom as little kid. I would look up at her and think, "I'm lucky my mom will never die." I grew up. She died when I was 20. I will always feel close to her when I watch this.

[Source: The Land Before Time]

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But in the end, whether you’re aware of this information or not, a sad movie with some fantastic lines that stick in your mind until the end of time might just be what you need at the end of a tough day. After all, to have a fulfilling life, one needs balance, and thus, even a little bit of sadness is sometimes quite necessary.

What is the saddest movie line you’ve ever heard? Do you have any other sad movie-related experiences you’d like to share? Let us know in the comments below!

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For a recent one:

"So, even though you have broken my heart yet again, I wanted to say, in another life, I would have really liked just doing laundry and taxes with you."

[Source: Everything Everywhere All at Once]

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“You stay. I go. No following.” - Iron Giant

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"Don't make me leave like this Murph."

"No parent should have to bury their child."

[Source: Interstellar]

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“Don’t cry for me. I’m already dead” - Barney Gumble

[Source: The Simpsons]

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"I could've got more out." - Schindler's List"Is he smart or…": Forest Gump asking about his son. He has the self-awareness to know who he is and his own limitations, and his relief when Jenny says that “he’s one of the smartest in his class” is heartbreaking.Bubba's last words to Forrest in Forrest Gump. "I wanna go home" It guts me every time.“He probably forgot about me a long time ago.” Fry in the Jurassic Bark episode of Futurama. Sorry, I know it isn’t a movie."Take her to the moon for me, okay?" - Bing f*cking Bong[Source: Inside Out]I'm tired, boss. Tired of bein' on the road, lonely as a sparrow in the rain. Tired of not ever having me a buddy to be with, or tell me where we's coming from or going to, or why. Mostly I'm tired of people being ugly to each other.[Source: The Green Mile] "Where are his glasses? He can't see without his glasses."[Source: My Girl]“Smile, my boy. It’s sunrise.” Robin Williams’ last line he delivered on camera. As Teddy Roosevelt from the 3rd Night at the Museum movie, the movie came out after he died. I’m sorry, Wilson! Wilson, I’m sorry! I’m sorry![Source: Cast Away] “I am not an elephant! I am not an animal! I am a human being! I… am… a … man!”[Source: The Elephant Man]"I don't have a home. Marie's been dead for 8 years." Planes, trains, and automobiles“They look like big, good, strong hands, don't they? I always thought that's what they were. Oh, my little friends... the little man with his racing snail, the Nighthob, even the stupid bat. I couldn't hold onto them. The Nothing pulled them right out of my hands. I failed.” — Rock Biter, The Neverending Story“It’s not your fault” in Goodwill Hunting. Something about that line repeated over and over again by Robin Williams until Matt Damon’s character breaks down gets me every time."Better to have loved and lost..." "Yeah? You try it." MIBMaybe not the saddest, but A Goofy Movie surprisingly has some emotional moments. “I’m not your little boy anymore, Dad! I’ve grown up! I’ve got my own life now!” “I know that! I just wanted to be part of it! You’re my son, Max. No matter how big you get, you’ll always be my son.”“Tell me I’m a good man” at the end of Saving Private Ryan is so hard to get through."Strange, isn't it? Each man's life touches so many other lives. And when he isn't around he leaves an awful hole, doesn't he?"[Source: It's a Wonderful Life] "If I should return, think better of me, father."[Source: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King]Probably not the actual #1, but I’d love to mention “Just for once…let me look on you with my own eyes.”[Source: Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi]"I would like to have seen Montana."[Source: The Hunt for Red October]"Sometimes, I think I have felt everything I'm ever gonna feel. And from here on out, I'm not gonna feel anything new. Just lesser versions of what I've already felt." From the movie Her. Really painful to relate to when you're in your 30's.“Sometimes there just aren’t enough rocks.” -Forest Gump"We each owe a death - there are no exceptions - but, oh God, sometimes the Green Mile seems so long.""I love being home, but I don't like being left behind. Now I'm the one going ahead. No one can stop God if He wants me. But I'm afraid I shall be homesick for you... even in heaven." -Beth in Little Women (1994)"There is one more chip. And it must also be destroyed."Watching Arnie giving a thumbs up as he was lowered into the liquid steel hit 12-year old me hard.[Source: Terminator 2: Judgement Day]This particular scene from the astonishing movie The Life of PI was ethereal. It's the one where the tiger leaves the protagonist on the beach after they survive being on the lifeboat for days...Here's the full quote: "I suppose in the end, the whole of life becomes an act of letting go. But what always hurts the most is not taking a moment to say goodbye. I was never able to thank my father for all I learned from him. To tell him, without his lessons, I would never have survived. I know Richard Parker is a tiger but I wish I had said, 'It's over. We survived. Thank you for saving my life. I love you, Richard Parker. You'll always be with me. May God be with you.'" This scene delivered by the late Irrfan Khan in the movie was just epic.“And we'll keep on being friends forever. Won’t we, Big Mama?” “Darling, forever is a long, long time, and time has a way of changing things.” Edit: fixed the quote. And yes, Fox and the HoundMaybe not THE saddest, but this is the one that always wrecks me: "So... this is what it feels like" - Logan A man on the brink of death, finally content with the life he lived, holding the hand of his daughter. LOGAN will never fail to reduce me to a puddle of tears, but that line, in particular, is just so damn heartbreaking. All Logan has ever wanted was to feel human, and what's more human than dying after a long life? As morbid as that sounds, Logan's life was filled with pain, but, in the end, he gave everything he had to save his daughter's life. There's nothing more noble, gut-wrenching, and human than that. "Rice balls. I made them for you. Here, have one." Grave of the Fireflies.In 1917, when Blake gets stabbed, he eventually says "Was I hit?" The bloodloss made him forget he had been stabbed. You know he is just about to fade away for good. Holy fam.A bit different, and not necessarily a line, but the scream JGL lets out in 50/50 in the car always hits me so hard. I've not had cancer myself, but he conveys the rage of feeling unfairly treated by life amazingly.“I can’t beat it,” from Manchester by the Sea always gets to me. That movie was such a stark portrayal of depression. Casey Affleck was amazing. His facial expressions and eye movements really brought such a profound sadness to the character. That quote wrecks me.Chas: I’ve had a rough year, Dad. Royal: I know you have, Chas. The Royal Tennenbaums"Only posers die you f*****g idiot! Now what am I supposed to do for a friend? Please wake up now! Please! I'm sorry! I wasn't ready for this!" Death scene in SLC Punk.