Words by Joanna Fan (she/her)

I’m asking you to stereotype us Cancers. Because you’re right. We cry in everything. I’ve cried due to shock, due to horror, tragedy, cuteness, heartbreak, you name it. This article is compensation for the sheer amount of tears I have shed in public places, so I feel more than qualified to talk about the tearjerker.

CONTAINS MAJOR SPOILERS!

If Anything Happens I Love You

If this short film doesn’t make you cry, I genuinely don’t know what will. After the loss of their young daughter in a senseless tragedy, two mourning parents deal with the implications of grief and learn to heal. The incredible thing about this film is its delayed reveal—in the first few minutes, you know that the parents are utterly devastated but wonder why. But then a football slowly comes into frame and suddenly you’re sobbing. When you think you can’t possibly cry anymore, you see a school, and you see an American flag. You put the two together and everything is crystal clear. The gravity of this film is reflected within the age-old American debate on gun control—it's a timeless story, but it shouldn’t be.

Atonement

I’ve watched Atonement about 50 times by now, but I still cry every time. My first viewing was just excruciating. It’s a film about World War II, so I knew I would cry, but no one warned me about the twist. When it came to an end and all was revealed, I literally cried so hard I had to lie down. I can’t reveal much without spoiling all of it, but I can say that it’s one of those films that stays with you for days. Prepare to be in utter shock and disbelief. Even better—there’s a five-minute-long uncut scene at Dunkirk that you can watch in awe, the most stunning green dress, and a steaming HOT sex scene between Keira Knightley and James McAvoy. Be prepared to hate Saoirse Ronan.

Mother!

Darren Aronofsky, are you okay? The films that this man has made are all the most disturbing pieces of shock value, I’m convinced that he might just need therapy. This film features on those “Iceberg of Disturbing Films” memes that basically ranks films on how fucked they are. Brace yourself. I didn’t cry because I was touched. I cried because of pure horror and shock. It’s the most in your face biblical metaphor that ends up just being two hours of people torturing and killing each other. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a fine film with incredible performances from the whole ensemble, but there’s a completely unnecessary overload of violence and gore. Definitely not for the faint-hearted, and don’t say I didn’t warn you.

The Farewell

Oh, The Farewell. Where do I even begin? Awkwafina gives the performance of her career in this heartbreaking tale about family and sacrifice. When a Chinese family learns that their grandmother and matriarch has terminal cancer, they choose to keep the diagnosis hidden to follow tradition. Whilst much of the family understands this age-old practice, the Chinese American Billie finds the decision incredibly hard to grasp. This film perfectly encapsulates what it feels like to grow up in a different culture than your own. Every single aspect of this film felt like home—the direction from Lulu Wang (criminally underrated), the mise en scène, the dialogue, the setting, the family dynamics. I cried for two hours after watching this, and I’m still not over it. The Farewell gave me hope for the future of filmmaking—to know that our stories will be told, to know that they are equally significant, to know that there’s space for us. Go call your grandma.

The Florida Project

When child actors are actually great actors, it makes me cry. This story follows Moonee, a six-year-old living with her struggling mother in a motel on the outskirts of Disneyland. What audiences won’t know is that, in reality, just outside “the happiest place on earth” are families living in poverty. It’s films like these that emphasise the urgency of educational storytelling—powerful, alarmingly common, and underreported accounts of ordinary lives. Moonee’s actor completely steals every scene, but particularly in the end. I ugly cried. I think talented child actors just make me cry in general. How are you able to re-enact the intricacies of human suffering at age six?

Love Actually

Let me explain myself. Love Actually has some of the worst storylines I’ve ever seen on screen and it's definitely not for your local film bro. It’s a piece of popcorn. It’s witty, entertaining, and surprisingly heartbreaking. The whole package. And when I say heartbreaking, I’m talking about that scene when Emma Thompson opens her present and it’s a CD and not the necklace and she runs into her room trying not cry in front of her kids because Alan Rickman cheated on her and “Both Sides Now” by Joni Mitchell is quietly playing in the background. No matter how much I take the piss out of this film I will still WEEP whenever this scene comes on. I think it’s just Joni Mitchell.

Manchester by the Sea

I chose to watch this film on the plane. Terrible idea. I was reduced to a puddle of tears in economy sandwiched between old people. After his brother’s death, Lee is forced to move home, and confront the painful memories of his past. First of all, there’s not a single joyful moment in this film, the whole thing is just utterly depressing—the colour palette, the music, the acting, EVERYTHING. When the big reveal comes and you realise why Lee left his hometown and why he’s now estranged from his ex-wife, you will start weeping. Some films only have one painful scene, some films have a few, but this film is just pain from start to finish. I refuse to watch this film ever again. I’m just still so heartbroken.

A Cancer’s Comprehensive Guide to the Tearjerker