Top 10 Saddest Teen Movies of the Last Decade
#10: “The Half of It” (2020)
Top 10 Saddest Scenes in Teen Movies
Unrequited love always makes us weep. “The Half of It” is an updated telling of the classic play, “Cyrano de Bergerac.” It tells the story of Ellie Chu, a high schooler who agrees to help a jock named Paul Munsky write letters to his crush, Aster Flores. The only problem is Paul isn’t the only one with a crush on Aster. Ellie is infatuated with her as well. Watching Ellie and Aster connect over their shared love of art is bittersweet, as we know Aster thinks she is talking to Paul. The progression of Paul and Ellie’s relationship is also hard to watch. As they become closer, lines start to blur and people get hurt. Don’t worry, though! This one ends on a hopeful note.
#9: “Eighth Grade” (2018)
Middle school was hard enough the first time. So watching Bo Burnham’s coming-of-age film “Eighth Grade” was definitely an exercise in nostalgia that was difficult to get through. In the film, Elsie Fisher stars as Kayla, an anxious eighth grader who longs to be popular. Watching Kayla navigate her way through typical middle school horrors is hard enough, but one scene, in particular, made our hearts go out to her even more. During a car ride home, an older boy tries to pressure her to get physical with him. Nothing happens, but watching Fisher deliver such a terrified, heartbreaking performance, it’s hard not to shed a tear.
#8: “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” (2015)
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There are plenty of teen dramas that deal with the difficult subject of cancer, but none with quite the insight of “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl.” The film centers around Greg, a teen who finds out that a former close friend of his, Rachel, is dying of leukemia. Greg’s parents make him try and befriend Rachel again, which at first leads to awkward results. But as time goes on, they both start to warm up to each other. The movie obviously deals with difficult themes, but the thing that keeps us coming back to it is the chemistry between leads Thomas Mann and Olivia Cooke. The friendship they strike up between Greg and Rachel feels honest and real, making the end even harder.
#7: “West Side Story” (2021)
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When you think of teen movies, “West Side Story” might not be the first one that comes to mind. But, as this classic musical is based on William Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet,” it definitely fits the mold. When Steven Spielberg decided to remake the musical for the silver screen, we weren’t sure initially how well it would turn out. We’re happy to report that we were wrong. The 2021 version of this movie features all the romance, tragedy, and teen angst that we adored from the original. Plus, when you’ve got dancing and singing like this, how can you resist?
#6: “The Hate U Give” (2018)
Top 20 Saddest Scenes in Teen Movies
Over the past few years, a lot of movies have attempted to parse through how we think about policing and the number of police shootings that have happened recently. “The Hate U Give” takes on the doubly hard challenge of relating that theme to being a teenager. The film stars Amandla Stenberg as Starr, an African-American girl who witnesses her childhood best friend get killed by a police officer. After the shooting, Starr starts advocating against police violence in her neighborhood, which opens her and her family up to threats. The movie handles a hard subject with the utmost care, but it’s still incredibly difficult to make it through.
#5: “The Spectacular Now” (2013)
Top 10 Teen Movies of the 2010s
Sometimes, the saddest movies aren’t about the greatest tragedies, but the small ones that affect everyday people. So is the case with “The Spectacular Now.” The film follows the romance between Sutter and Aimee, played by Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley. The two don’t seem to have much in common at first, but bond over their difficult childhoods and absent fathers. While Aimee’s father passed away, Sutter believes his mother is keeping his father away from him. That belief leads to a devastating scene where Sutter and Aimee visit his father, only to learn that he’s stayed away from Sutter of his own accord. The film explores Sutter and Aimee’s relationship through the lens of this shared trauma and will make you grab the tissues.
#4: “Five Feet Apart” (2019)
Top 20 Saddest Teen Movie Endings
Physical touch is an important aspect of any romantic relationship. Imagine if you had to make one work without it. That’s the premise of “Five Feet Apart,” a romantic drama about Will and Stella, two teenagers with cystic fibrosis, trying to navigate newfound love. Although the two need to stay six feet apart from each other for health reasons, their adoration and respect for each other grow deep. However, their connection becomes more and more fraught as the film goes on. Will eventually decides he can’t be with Stella for fear of making her sicker. There’s no happy ending for these lovebirds, and thinking about all their loving moments with that in mind is more than tear-inducing.
#3: “Call Me by Your Name” (2017)
Call Me By Your Name (2017) - Top 5 Facts!
Perhaps one of the most critically-acclaimed teen dramas of the past few years, “Call Me By Your Name” might seem on its face a simple romance. However, we think that more than anything, at its heart this film is a coming-of-age story. The movie follows Elio, a 17-year-old boy who falls in love with a 24-year-old graduate student named Oliver during a summer in Italy. As Elio begins to develop feelings for Oliver, he begins to question everything, from his sexuality to his place in the world. While there’s a whirlwind romance between the two, their age difference and different walks of life cause things to not work out. Timothée Chalamet gives a spectacular, heartbreaking performance, resulting in a final scene you won’t soon forget.
#2: “The Fault in Our Stars” (2014)
Top 20 Romance Movies with the Saddest Endings (We'll Spare You Having to Watch and Tell You)
Who would have thought that the word “okay” would one day be enough to make us burst into tears? If you’ve seen “The Fault in Our Stars,” then you know what we’re talking about. This 2014 romance follows the love story between Hazel Grace and Gus, two teenagers living with cancer. While Hazel Grace’s cancer is worse off than Gus’ when the movie begins, the story takes a turn as they begin to fall in love. In a sad twist of fate, Gus’ cancer makes a terrible reappearance. The two have to deal with the reality of death far sooner than any child should have to. Pair those heavy themes with wonderful performances from Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort, and you’ve got a tearjerker.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
“Before I Fall” (2017)
Imagine Having to Live the Day of Your Death Over & Over
“The Sun Is Also a Star” (2019)
Navigating the U.S. Immigration System While Falling in Love
“Everything, Everything” (2017)
Sometimes, You Have to Brave the Outside
“The Maze Runner” (2014)
This Is the Teen Apocalypse Movie That Gets Us the Most
#1: “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (2012)
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Freshman year of high school can be difficult for anyone. But for Charlie, it was near impossible. “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” is based on a controversial novel and focuses on themes such as drug use, sexuality, and mental health. Logan Lerman plays Charlie, an introverted and socially awkward kid entering his first year of high school who makes friends with an eccentric group of teens. As the movie goes on, you begin to learn more about the terrible things Charlie has been through, and his family life and friend groups are ripped apart by numerous events. Logan delivers an emotionally resonant performance that will leave you in a puddle of tears by the end.
