Skip to main content
  • TotalFilm
  • Edge
  • Newsarama
  • Retrogamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Mass Effect 2 - Garrus
Adventure Games The 25 best video game stories of all-time
Nasa Yuzaki looking confused while he pictures himself and Tsukasa happily getting married in the romance anime Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You.
Anime Shows I've watched Shoujo anime for 10 years, and these are the best romance anime on Crunchyroll that you need to watch in 2026
Dune
Movies Movie release dates 2026: Every major film coming to cinemas and streaming
Dune 2
Movies Upcoming movies: The most exciting new movies coming in 2026 and beyond
Cillian Murphy as Tommy in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
Movies The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch right now
(L to R) Steven Yeun as Detective Mike Ro, Matt Damon as Lieutenant Dane Dumars, Ben Affleck as Detective Sergeant J.D. Byrne, and Kyle Chandler as DEA Agent Mateo 'Matty' Nix in The Rip.
Action Movies The 25 best Netflix action movies to watch right now
The Lion King is undoubtedly one of the best movies on Disney Plus
Movies The 30 best movies on Disney Plus to watch right now
Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
Netflix The 25 best shows on Netflix to watch right now
Billie Roy in Lee Cronin's The Mummy
Horror Movies Upcoming horror movies coming in 2026 and beyond
Jessie Buckley as Ida/Penny in The Bride
Horror Movies The Bride bombs at the box office with $13.6 million opening against a $90 million budget
Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather.
Streaming Services The 20 best movies on Paramount Plus to watch right now
Best anime movies: Chihiro and No-Face sitting in a train carriage during Spirited Away.
Anime Movies The 30 best anime movies to watch right now
Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in Sonic 3
Amazon Prime Video The 25 best movies on Prime Video to watch right now
Jessie Buckley as Ida/Penny in The Bride
Horror Movies The Bride's violence was "pulled back" after test screenings, but director Maggie Gyllenhaal stands by what was kept in
Ghostface in Scream (2022)
Horror Movies All 7 Scream movies ranked, from worst to best
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies

The 50 saddest movie love stories

Features
By GamesRadar published 1 September 2013

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

20. Weekend (2011)

The Story: Russell (Tom Cullen) and Glen (Chris New) meet at a Nottingham nightclub and end up spending the entire weekend together.

The only problem is that Glens about to move to America for two years

Saddest Part: These guys are perfect for one another, but life and circumstances get in the way.

You may like
  • David Jonsson, Cooper Hoffman, Ben Wang, and Tut Nyuot in The Long Walk The Long Walk is one of the best Stephen King adaptations of all time – and the saddest movie of 2025
  • Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather. The 20 best movies on Paramount Plus to watch right now
  • Keanu Reeves as FBI Agent Johnny Utah and Patrick Swayze as Bodhi "Bodhisattva" in the movie Point Break. The best movies on Hulu to watch right now

Glen ends up leaving for America. We all cry into our cushions.

19. A Royal Affair (2012)

The Story: British aristocrat Caroline Mathilde (Alicia Vikander) is sent to Denmark to marry King Christian VII (Mikkel Flsgaard).

Hes boyish and irritating, though. Unlike his counsel, Johann Friedrich Struensee (Mads Mikkelsen).

Saddest Part: Caroline and Johanns torrid affair is discovered, and the duo pay the ultimate price for their betrayal

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

18. Closer (2004)

The Story: Couples cheat on each other back and forth in their search for happiness.

But can Anna (Julia Roberts), Dan (Jude Law), Alice (Natalie Portman) or Larry (Clive Owen) ever find true happiness?

Saddest Part: Everyone ends up miserable at the close of this romantic drama.

You may like
  • David Jonsson, Cooper Hoffman, Ben Wang, and Tut Nyuot in The Long Walk The Long Walk is one of the best Stephen King adaptations of all time – and the saddest movie of 2025
  • Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather. The 20 best movies on Paramount Plus to watch right now
  • Keanu Reeves as FBI Agent Johnny Utah and Patrick Swayze as Bodhi "Bodhisattva" in the movie Point Break. The best movies on Hulu to watch right now

Most depressing bit? Dan realising that Alice was never his girlfriends real name

17. The Way We Were (1973)

The Story: Meeting at college in the 1930s, Katie Morosky (Barbra Streisand) and Hubbell Gardiner (Robert Redford) are polar opposites who briefly date.

However, their different outlooks on life slowly destroy the relationship.

Saddest Part: Hubbell has an affair, ending the relationship.

But when the pair meet again years later, he finally understands that she only ever wanted him to succeed, and without her, hes nothing.

16. The Reader (2008)

The Story: Tram conductor Hanna Schmitz (Kate Winslet) takes a liking to 15-year-old Michael (David Kross) when she discovers him ill in her doorway one day.

An unconventional love affair develops.

Saddest Part: Hanna ends up imprisoned after admitting her involvement in the deaths of 300 women during World War II.

14. The Red Shoes (1948)

The Story: Dancer Vicky Page (Moira Shearer) is torn between her feelings for composer lover Julian Craster (Marius Goring) and her duty to ballet impresario Boris Lermontov (Anton Walbrook).

Saddest Part: In a fit of hysteria, Vicky dances out of the theatre and hurls herself in front of a train.

15. Bonnie And Clyde (1967)

The Story: Clyde Barrow (Warren Beatty) and Bonnie Parker (Faye Dunaway) meet when the latter catches the former attempting to steal her mothers car. Its love at first sight.

Becoming literal partners in crime, they head up their own crime spree looting banks at gunpoint.

Saddest Part: The police chase the duo down and open fire on them. The end.

13. West Side Story (1961)

The Story: Despite belonging to rival gangs, Maria Nuez (Natalie Wood) and Tony (Richard Beymer) fall in love. This isnt going to be easy

Saddest Part: It all goes desperately wrong when Tony kills Bernardo, prompting his friend Chino to seek revenge.

Tony is shot and killed right in front of Maria, then dies in her arms.

12. Legends Of The Fall (1994)

The Story: Susannah Fincannon (Julia Ormond) is engaged to Samuel Ludlow (Henry Thomas).

When he dies at war, though, she begins a love affair with his brother Tristan (Brad Pitt).

Saddest Part: Um, just about all of it. Guilty over his brothers death, Tristan goes travelling, leaving Susannah alone. He sends her a letter: All we had is dead. As I am dead. Marry another.

Susannah commits suicide.

11. Atonement (2007)

The Story: Cecilia (Keira Knightley) and Robbie Turner (James McAvoy) fall desperately in love despite the class divide.

Saddest Part: The pair are denied their happiness by Cecilias jealous younger sister Briony (Saoirse Ronan), who accuses Robbie of raping her cousin Lola (Juno Temple).

Cecilia and Robbie never see each other again.

  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

Current page: Page 4

Prev Page Page 3 Next Page Page 5
GamesRadar
GamesRadar
The GamesRadar+ Team

GamesRadar+ was first founded in 1999, and since then has been dedicated to delivering video game-related news, reviews, previews, features, and more. Since late 2014, the website has been the online home of Total Film, SFX, Edge, and PLAY magazines, with comics site Newsarama joining the fold in 2020. Our aim as the global GamesRadar Staff team is to take you closer to the games, movies, TV shows, and comics that you love. We want to upgrade your downtime, and help you make the most of your time, money, and skills. We always aim to entertain, inform, and inspire through our mix of content - which includes news, reviews, features, tips, buying guides, and videos.

Read more
David Jonsson, Cooper Hoffman, Ben Wang, and Tut Nyuot in The Long Walk
The Long Walk is one of the best Stephen King adaptations of all time – and the saddest movie of 2025
 
 
Marlon Brando as Vito Corleone in The Godfather.
The 20 best movies on Paramount Plus to watch right now
 
 
Keanu Reeves as FBI Agent Johnny Utah and Patrick Swayze as Bodhi "Bodhisattva" in the movie Point Break.
The best movies on Hulu to watch right now
 
 
Year in Review: The Best of 2025 main listing image for Best Movies of 2025 featuring images from Weapons, Superman, Sinners, and The Long Walk
The 25 Best Movies of 2025
 
 
Cillian Murphy as Tommy in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man.
The 25 best movies on Netflix to watch right now
 
 
Nasa Yuzaki looking confused while he pictures himself and Tsukasa happily getting married in the romance anime Tonikawa: Over the Moon for You.
I've watched Shoujo anime for 10 years, and these are the best romance anime on Crunchyroll that you need to watch in 2026
 
 
Latest in Movies
A Na'vi draws a bow in Avatar: Fire and Ash
James Cameron says Avatar 4 is still "very likely", despite Fire and Ash making $870 million less than The Way of Water
 
 
Mario riding Yoshi through space with Luigi and Peach flying along beside him
Super Mario Galaxy Movie reveals Donald Glover as the voice of Yoshi and more new casting in a star-spanning trailer
 
 
Arnold Schwarzenegger in Predator
Arnold Schwarzenegger says he'll be in the next Predator movie and a Conan the Barbarian sequel
 
 
Frodo Baggins in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring
Elijah Wood says he "wouldn't want anybody else to play Frodo", and now we're thinking he's in The Hunt for Gollum
 
 
The new GamesRadar+ logo on a dark background adorned with crosses in orange and grey
The next generation of GamesRadar+ is here
 
 
Hayden Christensen in Revenge of  the Sith
Star Wars fans are debating an iconic Revenge of the Sith scene that's now one of the saga's biggest 'what if' moments
 
 
Latest in Features
Underside of Alienware 16 Area-51 gaming laptop with glass viewing window and RGB fans
We could get a shock when 2026 gaming laptop prices are unveiled, here's what you need to know about buying this year
 
 
In Hitman World of Assassination, Agent 47 sits at the departure gate in an airport during the loading screen
After weeks spent locked into Hitman's Freelancer mode, I realize there's one vital thing 007 First Light needs to learn
 
 
Mario gadgets, accessories, and games on a blue background
The ultimate Mario Day starter pack, kit up for the plumber's big day
 
 
Glen Powell as Becket in How to Make a Killing
How to Make a Killing is Glen Powell's latest mid-budget movie, and I hope he never stops making them
 
 
Jensen Huang next to AI robot on stage at GTC 2024
Nvidia's CEO says "we created the modern video game industry," but all its push into AI upscaling has done is destroy good game optimization
 
 
Cillian Murphy as Tommy Shelby walking in Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man
Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man ending explained: does Tommy Shelby die and will there be a new season?
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Battlefield 6
    1
    "The fundamentals of FPS should drive our decision": Battlefield 6 designers say developers have a "responsibility" to make games intuitive
  2. 2
    "The first track spoils the whole game": Clair Obscur Expedition 33 devs confirm they were filling your ears with spoilers the entire time
  3. 3
    The Super Mario Galaxy Movie reveals Donald Glover as the voice of Yoshi and more new casting in a star-spanning trailer that sends the entire Mushroom Kingdom to another planet
  4. 4
    Reacher star Alan Ritchson says season 4 is coming this year: "It's by far the best season we've had yet"
  5. 5
    Clair Obscur Expedition 33 took inspiration from a surprising anime - Soul Eater creator's Fire Force: "Because it was a JRPG, we tried to find a mix"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...