From Heartbreak to Healing: 10 Movies About Grief and Loss to Watch Now

Losing a loved one is painful, but movies about grief and loss can assist with healing. This article suggests 10 films that may help you feel better.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• How Watching Movies About Grief and Loss Promotes Healing
• Movies About Grief and Loss
• Tips for Watching a Movie When Processing Grief and Loss
• Choose Opal Cremation
• FAQs
• Additional Resources

Key Takeaways

• The death of a loved one is difficult to process, but movies about grief and loss can normalize your feelings, reduce isolation, and help you find unique ways to deal with pain.
• There are several movies about grief and loss that can help you process your emotions. The Big Chill and Four Weddings and a Funeral are some good examples.
• Prepare to watch the movie by choosing the ideal environment, planning how you will react if things get too emotional, and deciding what you will do afterward to calm down.

Introduction

Everyone goes through grief and loss at some point; it’s an unfortunate fact of life. Grief can sneak up on you through little reminders after suffering a loss, whether it’s on the anniversary of the death of a loved one or even when you hear a song on the radio. There is no expiration date on grief, and it may persist in many forms, with common grief reactions being anxiety, sleeplessness, anger, distress, shock, denial, and depression.

Those in mourning, including many Los Angeles and Orange County families, might seek comfort by watching their favorite movies, especially ones that illustrate characters dealing with grief and loss.  Here are 10 movies that may help you process your emotions and move on to a happier state of mind.

How Watching Movies About Grief and Loss Promotes Healing

Watching movies about grief and loss can have a healing effect, producing the following reactions:

• Reduces Isolation: Characters experience similar emotions to yours, making you feel less alone- something Southern California grief counselors often recommend as part of the healing process.
• Distances You from Pain: The movie creates a distance from pain that you can pull into or lean away from, making your experience less overwhelming.
• Adds a Sense of Meaning: Movies express emotions in words, images, and metaphors, helping you articulate your feelings and gain a sense of closure.
• New Ideas: You may learn about unique ways to honor a loved one, which can inspire new ways to promote healing.
• Different Perspectives on Grief: Movies show people experiencing grief in different ways, suggesting there’s no right way to grieve and helping you accept your feelings.
• Rituals: Certain movies can become rituals. For example, you may watch these movies on the birthday or anniversary of a loved one’s death.
• Hope and Resilience: Overall, movies should teach you that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Things do get better.

“Movies act as metaphors for life…Movies have a greater emotional impact, since they use lots of technical resources to capture the viewer’s imagination in a very powerful way.”

Ana Fernandez, psychologist and coordinator of the psychology and audiovisual working group at the Official College of Psychiatry in Madrid, from the article Cinema therapy: can movies help us process grief or get over a breakup?

Movies About Grief and Loss

Here are some movies that can help you process grief and loss.

The Big Chill (1983)

A death often reunites old friends and family members. In The Big Chill, a group of thirtysomething college pals get back together following the death of a friend, the first one in their group to pass away. Over the course of the film, they reminisce and reflect on the past, a natural response when grappling with death.

Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)

Based on the title, you can guess that there’s a lot of joy in this film and a little bit of sadness. In this romantic comedy, Hugh Grant stars as Charles, who falls in love with Carrie (Andie MacDowell) at a wedding and then proceeds to see her at subsequent friends’ weddings. At one of the weddings, tragedy strikes, and one of Charles’s friends unexpectedly passes away. This film proves that death can happen when you never see it coming, but laughing with your friends can make things better.

Forrest Gump (1994)

The title character of this film (played by Academy Award winner Tom Hanks) experiences a lot of loss throughout his life, including losing his mother to cancer, his friend to war, and the love of his life to AIDS. But he continues to live his life the way his friends and family would want him to, whether it’s starting a shrimp company or becoming a ping pong champion. Forrest might set the perfect example of how to deal with grief, but he also serves as a good model for those tackling it.

The Bucket List (2007)

Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman star as two men with terminal cancer who decide to do everything they ever wanted to do before they pass away. Instead of facing mortality with grief, they turn it into something positive and live as if there is no tomorrow. Many people who deal with grief apply this idea to their everyday life, reminding them that time is precious.

Up (2009)

Although this is a kids’ movie, it can teach children and adults valuable lessons about dealing with grief. The plot revolves around Carl Fredricksen (voiced by Ed Asner), who has become a bit of a hermit following the death of his wife and decides to fulfill her dream of taking a hot-air balloon to South America (by literally turning his house into a hot-air balloon). When a little boy named Russell hides in his house, he realizes that there are lots of adventures to be had with new friends.

Coco (2017)

Coco, another Pixar film, is all about preserving legacy and memory, something that many Los Angeles families fixate on in dealing with their grief. The story revolves around Miguel, a 12-year-old boy who falls into the Land of the Dead when trying to borrow his grandfather’s guitar from his mausoleum so he can perform in a talent show. While there, he uncovers many family secrets that change his perception of the past.

Black Panther (2018)

Black Panther stars the late, great Chadwick Boseman as T’Challa, who, following the death of his father, returns home to Wakanda to take over as king. T’Challa feels he is responsible for handling his family’s business and keeping the legacy going, as many Los Angeles and Orange County family members do when they lose a patriarch or matriarch. It can be intimidating to step up into that role, and T’Challa faces several challenges along the way, but he also learns valuable lessons that help him deal with his loss.

Soul (2020)

In this Pixar film, Jamie Foxx voices Joe, a jazz musician who receives the gig of his career before falling down a manhole and entering a realm between Earth and the Great Beyond. Eventually, he meets a soon-to-be soul named 22 who is looking for her spark. Through an unpredictable turn of events, both end up back on earth- but in the wrong bodies. However, their experiences allow them to find meaning in life that goes beyond being a successful musician.

Manchester By the Sea (2016)

The movie follows Lee Chandler, a withdrawn janitor living in Boston, who is called on to return to his hometown, Manchester-by-the-Sea, after the death of his brother, as he was named his brother’s son’s legal guardian. Upon returning, viewers discover that he left home to escape from memories of a tragic accident and broken marriage. We see how he copes with these circumstances as the story unfolds.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

In this movie, the lead character, Charlie, a shy and emotionally fragile freshman, returns to school after a stay at a mental health clinic he attended to recover from the suicide of his best friend. He meets charismatic step-siblings Sam and Patrick, who take him under their wing and help him open up, but he still struggles with his emotional health, connected to memories of childhood sex abuse. He separates from his friends, but later reconnects with them, understanding that he deserves happiness.

Is This Movie Right for Me?

Tips for Movie Watching When Processing Grief and Loss

Although movies can help you deal with your emotions, they can also stir up feelings that you will need to deal with. Preparation is key. Here are some things to consider when you get ready for your binge:

• Decide on your environment: Do you want to watch the movie at home or in a theater? Should you be alone or with a companion? You should also have comfort items nearby, like tissues, a cup of tea, or a favorite blanket.
• Give yourself permission to step away: Pause or stop the movie if it feels like too much. You may focus on deep breathing or grounding exercises to help you emotionally prepare during breaks.
• Create an aftercare plan: You will likely feel emotional after the movie. Plan activities that will help you calm down and process, such as taking a warm shower, meditating, calling a friend, or journaling. Contemplate how the movie made you feel and what you can step away with.

Dealing with the loss of a loved one can be challenging, but movies can help you get through it by depicting experiences most people can relate to. These are just a few of the many movies that deal with grief. Which would you add to the list?

Choose Opal Cremation

Opal Cremation may not make movies, but we know a bit about grief and loss, and we understand that the last thing Los Angeles and Orange County families need during a difficult time is a stressful cremation process. Our team aims to support our clients by making things as simple as possible. We offer one low, all-inclusive price with no hidden fees, and arrangements can be made entirely over the phone.

Contact us to learn more about our comprehensive services.

Choose one of our Southern California cremation locations to get started:
Los Angeles Cremation • San Diego Cremation • Orange County Cremation

FAQs

Is it safe to watch a grief-focused movie soon after losing someone?

It depends on how emotionally raw you feel, the kind of loss you experienced (sudden, traumatic, expected), and what you’re hoping to get from the movie. If you’re having trouble functioning, are experiencing frequent panic attacks, or are having suicidal thoughts, it may be better to wait.

How can I tell if a specific movie might be too triggering for me?

Read a brief synopsis of the movie to determine whether it contains triggering elements, such as traumatic deaths or graphic scenes. If you feel triggered just reading the description, you may not be ready.

Should I watch the movie alone or with someone?

Watching alone may be the best option if you want the privacy to cry, pause, or turn it off. Choosing to watch with someone can be a preferred option if you want a hand to hold, a body to hug, and someone to talk to after the movie.

What are some emotional signs that I should pause or stop the movie?

You may want to pause or stop the movie if you feel sudden or intense anxiety or panic attacks, feel like you’re disconnected from your body, experience flashbacks to your loss, or feel as if you are reliving trauma rather than witnessing it.

What if the movie’s version of grief is very different than mine?

The movie’s version of grief may be very different than yours, and that doesn’t mean you’re ‘doing it wrong’. Take what resonates and leave the rest.

Additional Grief Resources: