Top 20 Guy Cry Movies

These films earned reputations for emotional power through true events, family bonds, sacrifice, friendship, and hard choices, and they pair memorable performances with awards recognition and strong box office or cultural impact, giving viewers clear context on why they resonate across generations.

‘Saving Private Ryan’ (1998)

Directed by Steven Spielberg, this World War II drama follows a squad sent to locate a paratrooper after the Normandy landings. Tom Hanks and Matt Damon lead a cast that includes Tom Sizemore and Giovanni Ribisi. The film won five Academy Awards including Best Director and Best Cinematography. It became a major global box office success and influenced later combat depictions.

‘The Green Mile’ (1999)

Adapted from a Stephen King serial novel, this prison drama centers on death row guards who encounter a condemned man with unexplained abilities. Frank Darabont directs with Tom Hanks, Michael Clarke Duncan, and David Morse in principal roles. The film earned multiple Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Its long running time supported a detailed narrative across interconnected cases and staff relationships.

‘Schindler’s List’ (1993)

This historical drama portrays industrialist Oskar Schindler and his effort to save more than one thousand Jewish men and women during the Holocaust. Steven Spielberg uses black and white cinematography with selective color for key moments. The film won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. It is frequently used in educational settings to teach twentieth century history.

‘Field of Dreams’ (1989)

Based on the novel Shoeless Joe by W P Kinsella, this story follows an Iowa farmer who builds a baseball field after hearing a mysterious voice. Kevin Costner, James Earl Jones, Ray Liotta, and Amy Madigan star. The production filmed in rural Iowa and later kept the field as a tourist site. It received three Academy Award nominations including Best Picture.

‘Gladiator’ (2000)

Ridley Scott directs this Roman epic about a general forced into slavery who rises through the arena. Russell Crowe and Joaquin Phoenix head the cast with Connie Nielsen and Oliver Reed. The film won five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor. Visual effects and large scale sets recreated the Colosseum and imperial court with extensive crowd simulation.

‘Braveheart’ (1995)

This epic follows William Wallace and the fight against English rule in medieval Scotland. Mel Gibson directs and stars with Patrick McGoohan, Sophie Marceau, and Brendan Gleeson in supporting roles. The film won five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director. Its battlefield sequences used thousands of extras and practical effects to stage charges and infantry formations.

‘The Shawshank Redemption’ (1994)

Adapted from a Stephen King novella, this prison drama follows Andy Dufresne and Red across years at Shawshank State Penitentiary. Frank Darabont directs with Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman leading a large ensemble. The film received seven Academy Award nominations and expanded its audience through home video and television. Real locations in Ohio stood in for key prison settings.

‘Forrest Gump’ (1994)

Robert Zemeckis directs a story that threads a single life through major moments in American history using visual effects to place the lead character into archival footage. Tom Hanks and Robin Wright star with Gary Sinise in a pivotal role. The film won six Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Actor. Its soundtrack achieved multi platinum sales and supported the period setting.

‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ (2006)

Based on the memoir of Chris Gardner, this drama shows a salesman facing homelessness while training for a competitive stockbroker role. Will Smith stars alongside Jaden Smith under the direction of Gabriele Muccino. The film earned a Best Actor nomination and grossed over three hundred million dollars worldwide. Location shooting in San Francisco highlights shelters offices and transit hubs central to the story.

‘Hachi: A Dog’s Tale’ (2009)

This adaptation of the Hachiko story presents the bond between a professor and an Akita that continues after the owner’s death. Lasse Hallström directs with Richard Gere and Joan Allen starring. The narrative relocates the legend to a New England college town while keeping core elements of daily station visits. The film developed a strong following through television and home release.

‘Life Is Beautiful’ (1997)

Roberto Benigni writes directs and stars in a tale of a father who shields his child from the horrors of a concentration camp through imagination. The film won three Academy Awards including Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actor. Its production blends comedy and tragedy within occupied Italy settings. International distribution led to significant box office in multiple markets.

‘Million Dollar Baby’ (2004)

Clint Eastwood directs and stars in a boxing drama about a veteran trainer and a determined fighter played by Hilary Swank with Morgan Freeman narrating. The film won four Academy Awards including Best Picture Best Director Best Actress and Best Supporting Actor. Training sequences and bouts were staged with careful choreography and minimal music. The story examines gym culture contracts and medical protocol within the sport.

‘Gran Torino’ (2008)

Set in the Detroit area, this drama focuses on a widowed veteran who forms ties with Hmong American neighbors amid gang pressure. Clint Eastwood directs and stars with Bee Vang and Ahney Her. The film performed strongly relative to its modest budget and limited initial release. Dialogue and customs were shaped with input from community members to reflect family and ceremony.

‘Dead Poets Society’ (1989)

Peter Weir directs a story set at a conservative New England boarding school where an English teacher encourages students to engage with poetry and public speaking. Robin Williams leads a cast that includes Robert Sean Leonard and Ethan Hawke. The film won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay and received additional nominations. It was filmed at a historic Delaware campus used to depict the school.

‘The Lion King’ (1994)

This animated feature from Walt Disney Animation Studios follows a young lion’s journey to reclaim his place in the pride. The film features music by Elton John and Tim Rice and a score by Hans Zimmer. It won two Academy Awards for music and became a top grossing animated release worldwide. Extensive research on animal movement and African landscapes informed the artwork.

‘Coco’ (2017)

Pixar Animation Studios presents a story set during the Day of the Dead in Mexico that follows a boy who enters the Land of the Dead to learn about family history. Directed by Lee Unkrich with co direction by Adrian Molina, the film features original songs and a score by Michael Giacchino. It won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song. Cultural consultants and field research trips informed costumes instruments and architecture.

‘Up’ (2009)

This Pixar film follows an elderly widower and a young Wilderness Explorer on an unexpected trip that begins with a house lifted by balloons. Directed by Pete Docter, it became the first animated film to open the Cannes Film Festival. The production won two Academy Awards including Best Animated Feature. Layout and camera work combined computer animation with a cinematic travel adventure structure.

‘A Star Is Born’ (2018)

Bradley Cooper directs and stars with Lady Gaga in a contemporary version of the well known show business tragedy. The film features the hit song Shallow which won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. It charts touring schedules recording sessions and industry pressures alongside a personal relationship. The production used live performance venues to capture concert sound and crowd scale.

‘Good Will Hunting’ (1997)

Gus Van Sant directs a drama about a math prodigy working as a janitor who enters therapy with a community college professor. Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote the screenplay and star with Robin Williams who won Best Supporting Actor. The film is set in Boston and Cambridge with scenes at public institutions and local bars. Its success launched multiple careers through awards and strong theatrical performance.

‘Warrior’ (2011)

This mixed martial arts drama tracks two estranged brothers who enter a high stakes tournament while dealing with a difficult family history. Gavin O’Connor directs with Tom Hardy Joel Edgerton and Nick Nolte in central roles. Nolte received an Academy Award nomination for his performance as the father. Fight scenes were designed with professional consultants and athletic training to depict tournament structure and rules.

Share your favorite tearjerker moments from these films in the comments.