25 Best Movies With Scenes Where Men Get Emotional and Cry

Recently someone in an online film forum explained that they needed movies with scenes where men cry and show emotions to show a male teenage client who is really into movies that men don't have to be all big, tough, strong, and never show emotions. Here are the top-voted recommendations.

1. Antwone Fisher (2002)

Image Credit: Fox Searchlight Pictures

IMDb: 7.3

Inspired by a true story, Denzel Washington directs and stars in Antwone Fisher. A young navy man, Antwone Fisher (Derek Luke), has a violent outburst against a crewman and is mandated to see a psychiatrist (Washington). His treatment reveals a painful past and confronts it, embracing hope. 

2. Stand By Me (1986)

Image Credit: Columbia Pictures

IMDb: 8.1

Based on Stephen King's 1982 novella The Body, Rob Reiner directs the epic coming-of-age drama Stand By Me. It follows River Phoenix, Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, and Jerry O'Connell, starring as four teenage boys who go on a hike to find the dead body of a missing local boy.

3. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)

Image Credit: 20th Century Fox

IMDb: 7.7

A Fault in Our Stars follows two teenage cancer patients, Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) and Augustus “Gus” Watersmeet (Ansel Elgort), meeting in a cancer support group. They begin a life-affirming journey to visit an author in Amsterdam who published a book about a cancer-stricken girl whose story mirrors Hazel's and has an abrupt ending.

4. Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Image Credit: Paramount Pictures

IMDb: 8.6

Saving Private Ryan is an epic war movie based on a true story. It follows a group of U.S. soldiers following the Normandy Landings. They must go behind enemy lines, risking their own lives to retrieve paratrooper Private First Class James Francis Ryan (Matt Damon), whose brothers were killed in action. 

Saving Private Ryan stars Tom Hanks, Vin Diesel, Adam Goldberg, Tom Sizemore, Giovanni Ribisi, Bryan Cranston, and many other notable actors. 

5. What's Eating Gilbert Grape (1993)

Image Credit: Paramount Pictures

IMDb: 7.7

Based on his Peter Hedges 1991 novel of the same name, What's Eating Gilbert Grape is a classic coming-of-age drama. It follows a grocery store clerk (Johnny Depp) caring for his mother (Darlene Cates) and his intellectually disabled younger brother (Leonardo DiCaprio). It also stars Juliette Lewis.

6. Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

Image Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing

IMDb: 8.3

In Spider-Man: No Way Home, Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) identity is known, and Peter requests help from Dr. Strange. Unfortunately, the spell goes wrong, and the spider-verse brings back classics. There are at least two Spider-Man that cry in this superhero film. Andrew Garfield will get you. 

7. Boyz n The Hood (1991)

Image Credit: Columbia Pictures

IMDb: 7.8

John Singleton's feature directorial debut, Boyz n the Hood, is a coming-of-age hood drama following Tre Styles (Cuba Gooding Jr.). He goes to live with his father (Laurence Fishburne) in South Central Los Angeles, surrounded by the neighborhood's gang culture. It stars Ice Cube, Nia Long, Morris Chestnut, Regina King, and Angela Bassett and watching requires tissues. 

8. Marley & Me (2008)

Image Credit: 20th Century Fox

IMDb: 7.0

Based on John Grogan's 2005 memoir of the same name, Marley & Me is a comedy-drama starring Owen Wilson and Jennifer Aniston as the owners of a Labrador Retriever named Marley. Marley is a neurotic pup who wreaks havoc while teaching life lessons and demonstrating love.

9. Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)

Image Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

IMDb: 8.1

Mad Max: Fury Road is an Australian post-apocalyptic action movie set in a deserted wasteland with scarce petrol and water. It follows Max Rockatansky (Tom Hardy) and Imperator Furiosa (Charlize Theron) joining forces to defeat dangerous cult leader Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne) and his army. It also stars Zoë Kravitz.

10. Reign Over Me (2007)

Image Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing

IMDb: 7.4

Reign Over Me is a buddy drama following Dr. Charlie Fineman (Adam Sandler) losing his wife and daughters in the September 11 attack in 2001 on New York City. His grief is immeasurable when he bumps into his old college roommate Dr. Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle). As their friendship rekindles, Fineman begins recovering from his grief.

11. Warrior (2011)

Image Credit: Lionsgate

IMDb: 8.2

Warrior is a sports action film following estranged brothers Tommy Riordan Conlon (Tom Hardy) and Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgerton). They come to terms with each other and their lives after competing in a mixed martial arts tournament. It also stars Nick Nolte. 

12. The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Image Credit: Summit Entertainment

IMDb: 7.9

Based on Stephen Chbosky's 1999 novel of the same name, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming-of-age drama and cult classic. It follows a teenager named Charlie (Logan Lerman) writing to an unnamed friend. These letters chronicle his trials, tribulations, and triumphs as he experiences his first year of high school. It also stars Emma Watson and Ezra Miller.

13. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

Image Credit: Tri-Star Pictures

IMDb: 8.6

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is a science-fiction action movie following the reprogrammed Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) returning to protect John Connor (Edward Furlong) as a child. Connor is the future leader of the human resistance, so Skynet sends a Terminator (Robert Patrick) to terminate him, preventing future victory. Linda Hamilton returns as Sarah Connor, John's mother. 

14. Big Fish (2003)

Image Credit: Columbia

IMDb: 8.0

Based on Daniel Wallace's 1998 novel of the same name, Tim Burton's Big Fish is a fantasy comedy-drama following a frustrated son attempting to differentiate between fact and fiction in his dying father's life. It stars an ensemble of Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney, Steve Buscemi, Billy Crudup, Jessica Lange, Alison Lohman, Helena Bonham Carter, Robert Guillaume, Marion Cotillard, and Danny DeVito. 

15. John Q (2002)

Image Credit: New Line Cinema

IMDb: 7.1

John Q. is a thriller drama following John Quincy Archibald (Denzel Washington), a father whose son has an enlarged heart. Unfortunately, John learns his HMO insurance won't cover the necessary heart transplant to save his son's life. So he takes the emergency room and its occupants hostage until his son receives his heart. 

16. Logan (2017)

Image Credit: 20th Century Fox

IMDb: 8.1

Logan is a superhero film and the third and final installment in the Wolverine trilogy starring Hugh Jackman as the titular character. The film follows an aged Wolverine and a severely ill Charles Xavier (Patrick Stewart). Wolverine defends a young mutant named Laura (Dafne Keen) from the villainous Reavers.

17. Fresh (1994)

Image Credit: Miramax Films

IMDb: 7.5

Fresh is a crime drama and hip-hop hood movie revolving around a kid named Michael, nicknamed Fresh (Sean Nelson). He runs drugs for gangsters. Fresh devices and executes a brilliant plan to extricate himself and his drug-addicted sister (N'Bushe Wright) from their hopeless lives inspired by the chess lessons of his alcoholic father, speed-chess master (Samuel L. Jackson).

18. Locke (2013)

Image Credit: A24

IMDb: 7.1

Locke is a psychological drama following Tom Hardy in the title role. Locke is a successful construction manager and a dedicated family man who receives a life-changing phone call that challenges his career. He stars as the only on-screen character having numerous speakerphone conversations with characters voiced by Tom Holland, Olivia Colman, Ruth Wilson, Ben Daniels, Andrew Scott, and Bill Milner. 

19. Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)

Image Credit: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

IMDb: 7.3

Mr. Holland's Opus is a drama starring Richard Dreyfuss in the title role. Glenn Holland is a dedicated high-school music teacher attempting to compose his music while struggling to find work/life balance with his wife and profoundly deaf son. The cast includes Glenne Headly, William H. Macy, Olympia Dukakis, and Jay Thomas.

20. The Place Beyond The Pines (2012)

Image Credit: Focus Features

IMDb: 7.3

The Place Beyond the Pines is an epic crime drama following three linear stories: Luke (Ryan Gosling) is a motorcycle stunt rider supporting his family through a life of crime. Avery (Bradley Cooper) is an ambitious police officer who confronts his corrupt police department.

Finally, two troubled teenagers (Emory Cohen and Dane DeHaan) explore the aftermath of Luke and Avery's actions fifteen years later. The cast also stars Eva Mendes, with Ben Mendelsohn, Rose Byrne, Mahershala Ali, Bruce Greenwood, Harris Yulin, and Ray Liotta.

21. Bullet Train (2022)

Image Credit: Sony Pictures Releasing

IMDb: 7.3

Bullet Train is an action comedy following Ladybug (Brad Pitt), an assassin who battles fellow killers while riding a bullet train. Five assassins board the train with more in common than they realize as they fight to complete their missions. It also stars Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and Brian Tyree Henry. 

22. The Prince of Tides (1991)

Image Credit: Columbia Pictures

IMDb: 6.8

Based on Pat Conroy's 1986 novel of the same name, The Prince of Tides is a romantic drama directed and co-produced by Barbra Streisand (What's Up Doc?). The film tells the story of the narrator's (Nick Nolte) struggle to overcome the psychological damage inflicted by his traumatic and dysfunctional childhood.

23. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Image Credit: Columbia Pictures

IMDb: 8.0

The Pursuit of Happyness is a biographical drama in San Francisco in 1981. It follows Chris Gardner (Will Smith), a homeless salesman struggling to care for his son Christopher Jr. played by Will Smith's real-life son (Jaden Smith) in his film debut. 

24. Ghost (1990)

Image Credit: Paramount Pictures

IMDb: 7.1

Ghost is a classic romantic fantasy following a couple, Sam Wheat (Patrick Swayze) and Molly Jensen (Demi Moore). Sam is a banker who is set up and murdered. However, his ghost doesn't move to the light. He stays behind to protect his girlfriend from his murderer with the help of psychic Oda Mae Brown, played by Whoopi Goldberg (The Color Purple). 

Popular Reading: 10 Huge Movies People Admitted They've Never Seen

25. Baby Driver (2017)

Image Credit: Sony Pictures

IMDb: 7.6

Edgar Wright's Baby Driver is an action movie starring Ansel Elgort as a getaway driver seeking freedom from his criminal life with his girlfriend Debora (Lily James). It also stars Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Eiza González, Kevin Spacey, and Jon Bernthal.

This thread inspired this list.

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