What are some funny tearjerkers?
November 11, 2007 2:43 PM Subscribe
Movie recommendation time: what are some funny tearjerkers?
Bittersweet comedies are fine, too, but I'm mostly interested in actively funny movies which also go for the tear ducts.
Bittersweet comedies are fine, too, but I'm mostly interested in actively funny movies which also go for the tear ducts.
little miss sunshine!
posted by prophetsearcher at 2:51 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by prophetsearcher at 2:51 PM on November 11, 2007
Muriel's Wedding. The movie takes a real serious jog about 3/4 of the way through.
posted by web-goddess at 2:53 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by web-goddess at 2:53 PM on November 11, 2007
Harold and Maude.
posted by Tuwa at 3:09 PM on November 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Tuwa at 3:09 PM on November 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
seconding "life is beautiful."
posted by thinkingwoman at 3:11 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by thinkingwoman at 3:11 PM on November 11, 2007
Second to Harold and Maude
posted by agentofselection at 3:13 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by agentofselection at 3:13 PM on November 11, 2007
When Harry Met Sally...the speech at the New Year's party...sniff.
posted by sweetkid at 3:27 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by sweetkid at 3:27 PM on November 11, 2007
Jesus' Son was both hysterically funny and bleakly sad. Really good movie.
posted by hwickline at 3:29 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by hwickline at 3:29 PM on November 11, 2007
Everything is Illuminated
Billy Elliot
That's all I've got off hand... but I'll be watching this post.
posted by glip at 3:33 PM on November 11, 2007
Billy Elliot
That's all I've got off hand... but I'll be watching this post.
posted by glip at 3:33 PM on November 11, 2007
Jeez, that wiki plot summary for Venus is a big spoiler! Oops.
posted by glip at 3:35 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by glip at 3:35 PM on November 11, 2007
A League of Their Own?
Big?
A little more skewed in terms of humor, but Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind?
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 3:54 PM on November 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
Big?
A little more skewed in terms of humor, but Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind?
posted by Ambrosia Voyeur at 3:54 PM on November 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and Le Fabuleux destin d'Amélie Poulain both made me laugh out loud, and cry. Both also contain some great surrealist/imagist elements.
posted by synaesthetichaze at 4:06 PM on November 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by synaesthetichaze at 4:06 PM on November 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
I love Steel Magnolias! Perfect suggestion, Padraigin. Don't almost all of Julia Roberts' movies fit into this category?
Sleepless in Seattle
posted by HotPatatta at 4:10 PM on November 11, 2007
Sleepless in Seattle
posted by HotPatatta at 4:10 PM on November 11, 2007
The Apartment is tops, tearjerker-wise. "Shut up and deal."
posted by kirkaracha at 4:11 PM on November 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by kirkaracha at 4:11 PM on November 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
Thelma and Louise
As Good As It Gets
Fried Green Tomatoes
Forrest Gump
Postcards from the Edge
posted by HotPatatta at 4:15 PM on November 11, 2007
As Good As It Gets
Fried Green Tomatoes
Forrest Gump
Postcards from the Edge
posted by HotPatatta at 4:15 PM on November 11, 2007
Love Actually springs immediately to my mind.
posted by crinklebat at 4:16 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by crinklebat at 4:16 PM on November 11, 2007
Love Actually.
posted by Dipsomaniac at 4:18 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by Dipsomaniac at 4:18 PM on November 11, 2007
Response by poster: Great answers so far, keep 'em coming.
I'd like to throw down a few titles myself, some fitting the criteria better than others:
Toto the Hero
The Royal Tennenbaums
Crumb
Ghost World
The Iron Giant
The Weather Man
Night On Earth
Stardust
I'd also like to nth the recommendations for A League Of Their Own, Jesus' Son, and the borderline archetypical Life Is Beautiful.
posted by Sticherbeast at 4:20 PM on November 11, 2007
I'd like to throw down a few titles myself, some fitting the criteria better than others:
Toto the Hero
The Royal Tennenbaums
Crumb
Ghost World
The Iron Giant
The Weather Man
Night On Earth
Stardust
I'd also like to nth the recommendations for A League Of Their Own, Jesus' Son, and the borderline archetypical Life Is Beautiful.
posted by Sticherbeast at 4:20 PM on November 11, 2007
Everything Is Illuminated was the first film to come to mind as well (although the book might pull it off even more well). Also - Withnail & I (okay, so there's very little tearjerking until the end, so it might be more of a tearjerking comedy), the Royal Tenenbaums, Lost in Translation, Annie Hall?
posted by punchdrunkhistory at 4:20 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by punchdrunkhistory at 4:20 PM on November 11, 2007
I'd second:
- Truly Madly Deeply
- Everything Is Illuminated..
and add
- Fisher King
- In America
posted by thinds66 at 4:33 PM on November 11, 2007
- Truly Madly Deeply
- Everything Is Illuminated..
and add
- Fisher King
- In America
posted by thinds66 at 4:33 PM on November 11, 2007
Recent Diane Keaton movies:
Because I Said So
Something's Gotta Give
The Other Sister (also fits into category below)
Movies starring wisecracking little people or the mentally handicapped:
The Other Sister
Simon Birch
Benny and Joon
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
posted by HotPatatta at 4:34 PM on November 11, 2007
Because I Said So
Something's Gotta Give
The Other Sister (also fits into category below)
Movies starring wisecracking little people or the mentally handicapped:
The Other Sister
Simon Birch
Benny and Joon
What's Eating Gilbert Grape
posted by HotPatatta at 4:34 PM on November 11, 2007
More keep coming to mind.
Funny Girl
Bridget Jones's Diary
The Mirror Has Two Faces
Kissing Jessica Stein
Bambi, Lion King, most Disney animated films
posted by HotPatatta at 4:38 PM on November 11, 2007
Funny Girl
Bridget Jones's Diary
The Mirror Has Two Faces
Kissing Jessica Stein
Bambi, Lion King, most Disney animated films
posted by HotPatatta at 4:38 PM on November 11, 2007
Return to Me
In Her Shoes
Mrs. Doubtfire
I'm going to leave this thread and give someone else a chance to respond.
posted by HotPatatta at 4:41 PM on November 11, 2007
In Her Shoes
Mrs. Doubtfire
I'm going to leave this thread and give someone else a chance to respond.
posted by HotPatatta at 4:41 PM on November 11, 2007
Def Muriel's Wedding as mentioned above. After half a dozen viewings I still bust a gut when I hear: "You're terrible Muriel" or "Deidre!... Deidre Chambers!!" And then there's the bean-bag chair scene...And then later some waterworks.
Also Breakfast at Tiffany's
posted by zenpop at 4:47 PM on November 11, 2007
Also Breakfast at Tiffany's
posted by zenpop at 4:47 PM on November 11, 2007
Junebug is a good tragicomedy. I don't know if it's a quite a tear-jerker, but it does have its genuinely sad moments.
posted by mccarty.tim at 4:48 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by mccarty.tim at 4:48 PM on November 11, 2007
The Family Man
Hanging Up
Friends with Money
My Girl
posted by HotPatatta at 4:56 PM on November 11, 2007
Hanging Up
Friends with Money
My Girl
posted by HotPatatta at 4:56 PM on November 11, 2007
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio.
You've probably never heard of it. It got a pitifully small release. Stars Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson. It's the true story of a family with 10 kids, and the mom wins tons of much-needed prizes in jingle contests. Funny, and touching, and you will need a tissue. Delightfully filmed, too, with a second Julianne Moore showing up from time to time to talk into the camera.
I picked it up on a whim at the Wal-Mart $3.98 shelf.
Also (and some may fall into the "bittersweet" category, although I'm trying to avoid it):
She's Having a Baby
The Weather Man
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (Just in time for Thanksgiving!)
The First Wives Club
Riding in Cars with Boys
Big Fish
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Elizabethtown
Barbershop
Raising Arizona
American Splendor
Barefoot in the Park
The Truman Show
posted by The Deej at 5:24 PM on November 11, 2007
You've probably never heard of it. It got a pitifully small release. Stars Julianne Moore and Woody Harrelson. It's the true story of a family with 10 kids, and the mom wins tons of much-needed prizes in jingle contests. Funny, and touching, and you will need a tissue. Delightfully filmed, too, with a second Julianne Moore showing up from time to time to talk into the camera.
I picked it up on a whim at the Wal-Mart $3.98 shelf.
Also (and some may fall into the "bittersweet" category, although I'm trying to avoid it):
She's Having a Baby
The Weather Man
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles (Just in time for Thanksgiving!)
The First Wives Club
Riding in Cars with Boys
Big Fish
Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
Elizabethtown
Barbershop
Raising Arizona
American Splendor
Barefoot in the Park
The Truman Show
posted by The Deej at 5:24 PM on November 11, 2007
Believe it or not, Lilo and Stitch.
posted by SampleSize at 6:19 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by SampleSize at 6:19 PM on November 11, 2007
Seconding The Fisher King, and also Rory O'Shea Was Here.
posted by Soliloquy at 7:10 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by Soliloquy at 7:10 PM on November 11, 2007
Four Weddings and a Funeral, for sure.
You definitely need to watch Millions, it's funny, touching, and bittersweet all at once.
Other possible choices:
- Shaun of the Dead
- Mermaids
- Stand by Me
- Old School
- Life Aquatic
- American Beauty
- Big
posted by SassHat at 8:13 PM on November 11, 2007
You definitely need to watch Millions, it's funny, touching, and bittersweet all at once.
Other possible choices:
- Shaun of the Dead
- Mermaids
- Stand by Me
- Old School
- Life Aquatic
- American Beauty
- Big
posted by SassHat at 8:13 PM on November 11, 2007
If you don't mind PG, Freaky Friday with Jamie Lee Curtis & Lindsay Lohan. (The original Disney version is not good at all.)
posted by JimN2TAW at 8:28 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by JimN2TAW at 8:28 PM on November 11, 2007
East is East, about a Muslim family in 70's England - and the kids eat bacon on the sly! A hilarious romp and a heartstring-puller.
posted by Xere at 8:52 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by Xere at 8:52 PM on November 11, 2007
Marvin's Room. Starring Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton, Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Pacino, and Gwen Verdon. Totally hilarious, totally weepy.
posted by hermitosis at 9:02 PM on November 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by hermitosis at 9:02 PM on November 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
A great little movie with Omar Sharif: Monsieur Ibrahim
posted by artdrectr at 9:12 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by artdrectr at 9:12 PM on November 11, 2007
Thirding The Apartment. It's not a kneeslapper, but it has a consistently charming, quiet humor to it. And it can be pretty darn melancholy at times.
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 9:23 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 9:23 PM on November 11, 2007
ET! Ok, I'm sure everyone's seen it, but if you haven't seen it in a while, rewatch it!
posted by peep at 9:52 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by peep at 9:52 PM on November 11, 2007
Tillsammans
Millions
Iron Giant
Elling
Kitchen Stories
posted by mr. remy at 10:09 PM on November 11, 2007
Millions
Iron Giant
Elling
Kitchen Stories
posted by mr. remy at 10:09 PM on November 11, 2007
Big Fish
posted by null terminated at 11:37 PM on November 11, 2007
posted by null terminated at 11:37 PM on November 11, 2007
Shirley Valentine
Educating Rita
Romuald et Juliette
Hobson's Choice
posted by ceri richard at 2:13 AM on November 12, 2007
Educating Rita
Romuald et Juliette
Hobson's Choice
posted by ceri richard at 2:13 AM on November 12, 2007
Garden State
posted by quentiniii at 5:00 AM on November 12, 2007
posted by quentiniii at 5:00 AM on November 12, 2007
Annie Hall
Donnie Darko
Edward Scissorhands
Manhattan
posted by missjamielynn at 6:36 AM on November 20, 2007
Donnie Darko
Edward Scissorhands
Manhattan
posted by missjamielynn at 6:36 AM on November 20, 2007
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by padraigin at 2:50 PM on November 11, 2007