5 Soul-Crushing Movies You'll Never Want to See Again, Ranked by IMDb
You definitely won't want to watch them again.
Sometimes, movies confront us with emotions that we try to avoid in everyday life: hopelessness, deep sadness, and a sense of loss that haunts us long after the credits roll. All of this makes rewatching a true challenge.
We've recalled five films that will break your heart, make you cry, and leave a lasting impression.
5. 'We Need to Talk About Kevin', 2011
IMDb Score: 7.4/10
In Lynne Ramsay's We Need to Talk About Kevin, the challenges of parenthood are reimagined. The movie chronicles the upbringing of Kevin, a future psychopath, by his mother, Eva. It shows Kevin's early warning signs and his subsequent transformation into a monster.
Although marketed as a drama, We Need to Talk About Kevin delivers more horror than depth. Watching the film is incredibly uncomfortable, as if you're unwittingly becoming a participant in its events.
4. 'Leaving Las Vegas', 1995
IMDb Score: 7.5/10
Nicolas Cage's only Oscar win of his acting career was for the cult drama Leaving Las Vegas. The plot is based on John O'Brien's semi-autobiographical novel of the same name.
Cage plays Ben, an alcoholic Hollywood screenwriter in crisis. Ben travels to Las Vegas, where he meets Sera, a sex worker. A fragile and doomed bond develops between them.
As the story unfolds, the characters become increasingly vulnerable – Sera condemns Ben for his heavy drinking, and Ben finds her profession unacceptable. Although they develop a genuine connection, it gradually dissolves in a cruel cycle of addiction and mutual pain.
3. 'An Elephant Sitting Still', 2018
IMDb Score: 7.8/10
An Elephant Sitting Still is the debut and only film by Chinese director Hu Bo, who committed suicide shortly before its premiere in early 2018. This four-hour epic drama chronicles a single day in the lives of four individuals as they each overcome their own challenges.
Yu Cheng struggles with guilt following the tragic death of a friend, and Huang Ling seeks intimacy through promiscuity in an attempt to escape her strained relationship with her mother.
The movie subtly intertwines the lives of seemingly unrelated people united by the idea of seeing a mystical elephant living in Manchuria.
2. 'Manchester by the Sea', 2016
IMDb Score: 7.8/10
Lee Chandler is in the depths of despair, punishing himself with loneliness for a fatal mistake he made. Everything changes when he becomes the guardian of his teenage nephew after his father suddenly dies of a heart attack.
Lee's emotional anguish never ceases, but it is beginning to be broken by rare moments of light.
The heartbreaking plot and leisurely pace of Manchester by the Sea would be excruciating if not for the brilliant performances. Writer and director Kenneth Lonergan paints a surprisingly realistic portrait of a man mired in the pain of his past.
1. 'The Father', 2020
IMDb Score: 8.2/10
Sir Anthony Hopkins made history as the oldest Oscar winner, delivering arguably his best performance in the drama The Father.
Director Florian Zeller approaches the topic of dementia in an unusual way, allowing the audience to intimately experience the character's self-perception.
The subjective narrative of The Father blurs the lines between reality, memory, and illusion. Ultimately, viewers are treated to an experience they never dreamed of – or rather, feared – encountering.
