Join The Community
Up In The Air (2009)
The Crying Scene: "Make no mistake, we all die alone," Ryan (George Clooney) tells Natalie (Anna Kendrick), prompting her to start crying - but only because Brian's just left her.
Why It's Unwatchable: It's 'comedy crying' that feels real and messy and awkward and totally NOT COOL.
In fact, it could only be made more awkward by Vera Farmiga entering stage left. Which, of course, she does…
Kendrick Says: "I was really nervous about having to go toe to toe with George Clooney. Because if he wasn't really game, it would have been impossible."
American History X (1998)
The Crying Scene: Danny Vinyard (Edward Furlong) is shot and killed in his high school toilet. Hearing the shots, Derek (Edward Norton) hurries in to discover the bloody remains.
Why It's Unwatchable: Norton's voice goes up about five octaves ("NO! NO!") and as he cradles Furlong's bloody body in his arms, it reaches operatic levels of tragedy.
Which isn't necessarily a good thing. Message: rammed down throat. Result: eye-rolling.
Norton Says: "When we did American History X , we talked sometimes about things like Othello and Macbeth - tragedy in the old-school sense of a person going down because of their flaws and there being a lesson in that."
The Queen (2006)
The Crying Scene: The Queen (Helen Mirren) goes for a drive alone in the wake of Princess Diana's death and weeps in solitude.
Why It's Unwatchable: It's a hugely emotional moment, especially considering the real Queen never lets her guard down enough to show much humanity (the odd, crinkled half-smile notwithstanding).
The scene works especially well because the Queen's face is turned away from us, meaning we only just glimpse her grief without ever having it shoved in our faces.
Mirren Says: "I loved the idea of the queen crying, breaking down, when she’s alone, no one’s there, she allows herself to break down, and then having that moment with the stag. I thought it was a beautiful scene."
Saw (2004)
The Crying Scene: Lawrence (Cary Elwes) screams and cries as he hears his family screaming down the phone.
Why It's Unwatchable: We've already had our nerves stretched to snapping point, and now there's a guy wailing non-stop.
It's enough to push anybody to breaking point, especially when Lawrence finally picks up the saw…
Elwes Says: "The first thing that attracted me was the script. I thought it was very well written. James and Leigh, I thought they did a great job. It was a real page turner, so that intrigued me."
Rocky III (1982)
The Crying Scene: Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) sobs over the dead body of his coach and friend Mickey (Burgess Meredith).
Why It's Unwatchable: It's sort of comically funny, which of course it absolutely isn't meant to be.
Stallone has trouble getting the words out and his voice is all shrill and weird. We can't find the fast forward button quickly enough.
Stallone Says: "Apollo retires. Mickey, Rocky's manager, has a stroke. Rocky wants to retire, but there's this street-tough challenger and Rocky decides on one more fight, even though he's half blind, and this'll be his last fight one way or the other."
Shadowlands (1993)
The Crying Scene: C.S. Lewis (Anthony Hopkins) talks with a priest and reveals the extent of his love for Joy (Debra Winger) by silently crying.
Why It's Unwatchable: Hopkins finds the meaning behind his monologue, letting silent tears fall as he talks.
Richard Attenborough Says: "I think the best film I've made was Shadowlands, which was so fantastically acted by Debra and Tony [Winger and Anthony Hopkins ]. I think it's the most satisfactory film."
V For Vendetta (2006)
The Crying Scene: Evey (Natalie Portman) is released from her prison and discovers she was with V the whole time. Cue tears aplenty.
Why It's Unwatchable: Portman knows how to do movie crying, and here she does the 'angry crying' thing so well it's like trying to look at the sun.
Portman Says: "One of the great things about this movie is that it leaves it open for discussion. It doesn't make clear good or bad statements. It respects the audience enough to take away their own opinion."
Blue Valentine (2010)
The Crying Scene: "I can't do this anymore," weeps Cindy (Michelle Williams), as Dean (Ryan Gosling) beats up a wall.
"Tell me what to do," he begs. But the damage has already been done. A break-ups impending…
Why It's Unwatchable: 'Realism' is the key word in Derek Cianfrance's gritty drama, and it's evident in spades in this heartbreaking break-up.
Williams Says : "When you're breaking up with somebody it's almost like dying."
Romeo + Juliet (1996)
The Crying Scene: Juliet (Claire Danes) is dead (or, er, 'dead'), prompting Romeo (Leonardo DiCaprio) to have a crying breakdown, take some poison, then get a revived Juliet sobbing, too.
Why It's Unwatchable: If Claire Danes knows how to do anything, it's cry in a ridiculously believable way.
Plus, we've known this moment was coming for the entire film, and even though we're prepared, that doesn't stop it cutting deep.
Danes Says: "Shakespeare had a powerful grasp on human nature. The story is about young love AND it's about a society that is so corrupt, and so chaotic, and so violent that you have a lost generation."
Leon (1994)
The Crying Scene: "Please open the door," begs Mathilda (Natalie Portman), having rung the doorbell of Leon (Jean Reno) after walking past her own blood-splattered apartment.
Why It's Unwatchable: You'll be watching through your fingers - Mathilda's so close to being killed herself, the tension's unbearable.
And, of course, Portman's phenomenal.
Portman Says: "I still get recognised for Leon, which is bizarre."
