When I was about 9 years old, my mother took my sisters and me to the cinema to see ‘Kramer vs Kramer’, a film with Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman about a couple who get a divorce and struggle with the legal battle, the mental consequences and the impact this all has on their son. I guess my mom desperately wanted to see this film and couldn’t leave me and my sisters at home, so she took us with her. I don’t remember a thing about the film. I guess I was just too young to really understand what this movie was all about. I only remember the very end… the moment when the lights went back on again, when I got up out of the comfy seat, saw people around my sniffing and wiping their tears away and me saying triumphantly to my mum (who was also struggling with her hanky of course) ‘Well I didn’t cry’!

About 40 years later now and I can assure you… I’ve shed quite a few tears with films! I must admit that I don’t often cry at the cinema, but at the comfort of my own home… oh yes 🙂

The first film I remember crying with, was ‘The Outsiders’. I must have been 13 or 14 when I saw this film on television. It’s a coming of age drama from Francis Ford Coppola, featuring a lot of actors who really made it: Rob Lowe, Patrick Swayze, Matt Dillon, Tom Cruise, C Thomas Howell, Ralph Macchio,… The film was about the rivalry between two gangs and I especially remember the fabulous acting from Ralph Macchio and Patrick Swayze. And of course I shed a tear or two when Johnny died…

Another film I remember from my teens is ‘Beaches’ with Bette Middler and Barbara Hershey about the remarkable friendship of two young girls turning into women. It was such a beautiful film about friendship. It was funny at times and there were some really good songs in it (sung by the fabulous Bette Middler of course, I remember a lullaby from the film that I used to sing to my daughter when she was little). As life goes on, the two friends experience good times and bad… very bad…  I just saw the trailer again, and I think it’s a film I would still enjoy actually! And I would probably still cry when… no… I won’t spoil this in case you want to see this film 🙂 

‘Love Actually’ is the next film on my list. This must be one of my favourite Christmas movies and I must have seen it at least a dozen times. I always cry with the same scene, the one where the guy goes ‘carol-singing’… you can really feel the guy’s heartache. Gets to me every single time… I’m a softy!  

‘PS I love you’ is also a film I have cried with. I love the storyline of these two people falling in love, how she struggles with his death and how he stands by her side that first year she’s a widow. Even recalling this film to write this blogpost makes me soppy… I loved the acting performances from Hillary Swank and Gerard butler, I rooted for Harry Connick Junior and Kathy Bates is such a charismatic actress. Love her 🙂

‘Still Alice’ is a move with Julianne Moore in the lead. She plays a linguistics professor who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease at a fairly young age. It was just so moving how she and her family handled the situation. The acting was really on point as yours truly was crying  her eyes out at some point!

From the last one in this list I never ever thought I’d cry… I was just joining my kids to see this Pixar movie… little did I know how absolutely gripping the beginning of ‘Up’ would be! I couldn’t help blinking a few times to stop the tears in my eyes. So moving, so harsh and straight out of life! Great job from Pixar…

There are other movies I cried with, more than I can remember… Forrest Gump, Slumdog Millionaire, Schindler’s List, The Notebook, Lion, Bohemian Rhapsody,… and many more I’m sure! It’s strange… a film can be so sad that I can’t stop my tears, but afterwards I usually feel relieved. Do you know the feeling? Which films have you cried with? Let me know in the comments!

OK… Now I’m in the mood for a really soppy film… who’s with me?!

Love, Kathleen