Top 10 Sad Moments in Comedy Movies

Sometimes men need to escape the pressures of work and family to discover the one thing that’s most important. The trio in “City Slickers” puts everything into perspective as they look back on the best and worst days of their lives. This leads to a philosophical discussion about childhood, marriage, and optimism versus pessimism. The emotional highlight is when Ed opens up about his deadbeat father and the day he stepped up as man of the house. It was both the best, and the worst day of his life.

There comes a point in every person’s life when they peak. For Gary King, his crowning achievement was almost completing the Golden Mile. Now a middle-aged drunk, he attempts to recreate that glorious night with his reluctant friends. The tragic nature behind his motivations comes into full view as they reach the final bar, and Andy discovers bandages on Gary’s wrists. Every moment since their initial pub-crawl has been downhill for Gary. By finishing his drink, however, maybe he can start fresh as the world literally ends.

The brooding Dwayne has one dream: To fly away from his parents in a U.S. Air Force jet. His dream is shot down, though, when he realizes he’s colorblind and can’t be a pilot. Crushed, Dwayne at last breaks his self-inflicted vow of silence and takes his anger out on everyone else. With his family now at a loss for words, the Hoovers are left at a crossroads. However, through one little gesture, Olive casts a little ray of sunshine on her gloomy brother, letting him know that his family always has his back.

Divorce can be painful when the splitting couple hates each other, but it can be even more devastating when they’re still in love. As Cal prepares to leave married life behind, he looks back on his fond family memories littered throughout the untended yard. Confronted by his soon-to-be-ex-wife, Cal tiptoes around the awkward conversation. Before departing in the U-Haul, however, he bluntly lets her know where their marriage crashed and burned. It’s a difficult separation, but not all romances are as sunny as “Twilight.”

Romantic comedies have given a lot people unrealistic expectations for relationships. Convinced that Summer is the love of his life, hopeless romantic Tom believes that they’ll finally get back together at an intimate gathering. In this cleverly crafted scene, his promising fantasies are contrasted by harsh reality. Instead of growing closer to Summer, Tom just grows closer to a beer bottle. The revelation that this is Summer’s engagement party completely demolishes Tom’s expectations. Forced to face the truth, he feels further away from her than ever.

Considering this is a movie where a little boy is accidentally killed, “In Bruges” packs in some of the funniest dialogue you’ll ever hear. The guilt of taking a child’s life is eventually too much for Ray to handle, though. Prepared to put a bullet in his own head on a playground, Ray is saved by fellow hit-man Ken, who was ironically about to do the deed himself. Lost, confused, and dead inside, Ray confides in Ken and confesses the sins that have left him seeking redemption in the purgatory that is Bruges.

During a moment of some peace and quiet – at least what little they can get considering the zombie apocalypse – Columbus, Tallahassee, Witchita and Little Rock take the time to express gratitude for as well as commiserate about the world in which they now live. For Tallahassee, the worst thing about Zombieland is losing his “puppy” Buck, but as he delves into deeper and deeper into his feelings for the so-called pup, everyone around him – the audience included – begins to realize that he ain’t actually talking about man’s best friend. As tears begin to flow down the face of the man who’d previously seemed so anti-social, flashes of Tallahassee and his little one make all of us cry as if we’d all just watched “Titanic”.

Robin Williams had a gift for not only being able to make us laugh uncontrollably, but weep unconditionally as well. One of his most unexpectedly heartfelt moments occurs in “Mrs. Doubtfire” as he pleads with the judge to grant him joint custody of his kids, even after it’s revealed he’s been secretly cross-dressing to spend time with them. His touching closing statement speaks to every loving parent that’s had a wedge driven between them and their children due to divorce. The scene only becomes more overwhelming when the judge deems him an unfit parent regardless, leaving the courtroom and the theater flooded with tears.

“Click” isn’t the most even comedy, one half being fart jokes and the other being heavy drama. There are several standalone scenes that do pack a huge emotional punch, though, the standout being this moment as Michael witnesses his last conversation with his father before he died. It’s hard to decide what’s more devastating: Michael’s cruel final words to his heartbroken dad or his dad’s loving final words to his ungrateful son, which Michael repeatedly rewinds. Only one thing’s for certain: you’ll want to tell your dad that you love him after this.

Before our top pick makes us break out the tissues, here are a few honorable mentions:

- Tommy’s Dad Dies

“Tommy Boy” (1995)


- Julian Gets Taken Away

“Big Daddy” (1999)


- Adam Yells at Kyle
“50/50” (2011)

Del Griffith comes off as so, well, annoying in the beginning of “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” that it’s not surprising when fellow traveler Neal blows up at him. What is surprising is how Del counters Neal’s tirade of insults, demonstrating the virtue of liking oneself and being oneself. What you see is what you get with Del for sure; but there’s actually more to him than meets the eye. Neal realizes this as he continues to peel back Del’s layers throughout the movie, amounting to a final destination that gives the story even greater poignancy and a final reveal that leaves us crying every time.