Everyone needs a good cry from time to time, and several romance movies will do just the trick.
Some of the most tear-jerking films in recent years have one thing in common. The Notebook, Dear John, The Last Song and A Walk to Remember, to name a few, are all adaptations of Nicholas Sparks books. While Sparks has a talent for making readers and viewers cry, he is a much tougher nut to crack.
“It is tough to make me cry,” the author told The Charlotte Observer in February 2013. He went on to note, “By the time I get to see the film, look, I’ve seen dailies, I’ve seen the script, there’s no surprise, I don’t get that magical feeling of discovering a story. Plus, I wrote the story in the first place.”
While Sparks doesn’t get emotional revisiting his old work, he enjoys seeing others connect to his stories. “Apologies for making you cry for decades!” he jokingly wrote via Facebook in April 2024. “I can’t believe it’s been 30 years since I wrote #TheNotebook! I wrote the ending first, and once I knew I could make that work, I wrote the reunion, the prologue and then the rest of the novel.”
At the time, he noted that the Broadway musical adaptation of his 1996 novel and the 2004 film version handed out “special tissues” for emotional theatergoers.
Scroll down for romantic movie recommendations that will make you shed a tear:
‘The Notebook’
The 2004 adaptation of Sparks’ novel of the same name ensured that romantics everywhere gained a newfound appreciation for making out in the rain. As World War II–era star-crossed lovers, Ryan Gosling and Rachel McAdams offer emotional performances, which may have been helped by the fact that their real-life relationship was fiery from the start: Gosling tried to order McAdams off the set, but the two began dating after the shoot was finished, ultimately parting ways in 2007.
‘Titanic’
Our hearts could not go on after watching this 1997 heartbreaker about Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Rose (Kate Winslet), who fall in love while aboard the doomed ship. Of course, they didn’t make it in the long run since that wooden panel would only support the weight of one person when the ship went down (though the show Mythbusters disagrees with this logic). The real-life actors remain friends, however, and costarred again in 2008’s Revolutionary Road.
‘Dear John’
Sparks can always be relied upon for inspiring a cathartic sob session. This adaptation of his 2006 novel of the same name follows John (Channing Tatum) and Savannah (Amanda Seyfried), a couple who keep their love alive through letters while John serves in the military post–9/11. She ends up dumping him in one of her notes — harsh — but as with any good romance, that’s not the end of the story.
‘Love Story’
If you haven’t heard of it, ask your mom about this 1970 film. No doubt she can rattle off the famous tagline: “Love means never having to say you’re sorry.” Oliver (Ryan O’Neal) and Jennifer (Ali MacGraw) meet as students at Harvard University and Radcliffe College, respectively. Once they marry and try to conceive, they discover the tragic reason why they can’t have kids. We won’t spoil it for you — just grab the tissues and prepare to bawl.
‘Ghost’
Everyone knows the famous pottery wheel scene that’s been spoofed a million times over, but this 1990 film about a woman (Demi Moore) who’s followed by the poltergeist of her murdered lover (Patrick Swayze) is an especially devastating meditation on grieving. Just check out the scene where the ghost, via a medium played by Whoopi Goldberg, offers his love a penny for good luck.
‘Brokeback Mountain’
The tender performances of Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal, who play two cowboys fighting their love for each other in the conservative 1960s and ’70s Midwest, earned both actors Oscar nominations (Ledger for best actor and Gyllenhaal for best supporting actor) in 2006.
‘The Way We Were’
Opposites attract, but can they make it work long-term? That’s the dilemma for strident political activist Katie (Barbra Streisand) and charming, lackadaisical screenwriter Hubbell (Robert Redford) in this 1973 drama. Though initially drawn to each other’s differences, the couple’s dynamic threatens to tear them apart as they marry and have a daughter. In the end, all that’s left is Streisand’s title song, which many a brokenhearted soul has bawled over.
‘The Last Song’
While the love story of this Sparks book-to-movie adaptation centers around Miley Cyrus’ Veronica “Ronnie” Miller and Liam Hemsworth’s Will Blakelee, the emotional center of the film lies with Ronnie’s relationship with her father, Steve (Greg Kinnear). Ronnie falls for Will while spending the summer in Georgia with her dad, who she doesn’t know is secretly battling cancer (bet you can guess what happens next).
‘A Star Is Born’
There have been several versions of A Star Is Born over the years, but none have such an emotional punch as the 2018 version starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper. After musician Jackson Maine (Cooper) falls in love with aspiring singer-songwriter Ally Campana (Gaga), the pair’s relationship faces ups and downs as Ally’s star begins to rise. On top of it all, Jack is forced to deal with his own internal demons, which ultimately lead to a tragic end for the couple.
‘A Walk to Remember’
In one of the most famous Sparks adaptations, popular guy in school Landon Carter (Shane West) catches feelings for the quiet and conservative Jamie Sullivan (Mandy Moore) while being forced to participate in their high school play — going against Jamie’s request for him not to fall in love with her. Landon eventually comes to learn the reason behind Jamie’s rule, as she reveals that she has leukemia. The 2002 movie follows the couple’s romance as Landon vows to stay by Jamie’s side until the end.
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