Grief Observed: Using Movies to Move through Grief
by Marty Tousley, Bereavement Counselor
Movies and DVD rentals that dramatize others coming to terms with their pain may serve as a valuable tool to help you and your family members move through the grieving process.
Getting in touch with the painful feelings of grief and releasing blocked or pent-up emotions by
having a good cry can be cleansing and stress-reducing. Movies can be an effective tool in
addressing certain
grief issues,
especially when your selections are made consciously and deliberately.
Before you see or rent a movie, take time to read the film's description and reviews to help you
decide whether watching it will support you at this point in your
grief journey.
Pay attention to whatever feelings and reactions come up for you while watching it, and let yourself
cry if you need to. If you're not comfortable doing this alone, ask a trusted friend or family member
to watch the movie with you, and discuss it together afterward.
In this spirit, this list of movies for those in mourning is offered, categorized by the aspect of
grief
primarily addressed in a given film or DVD. For description of movies and reviews, click movie title.
Mystical Experiences
The Five People You Meet in Heaven
(2004) with Jon Voight, Ellen Burstyn
Northfork
(2003) with James Woods, Nick Nolte
Dragonfly
(2002) with Kevin Costner, Lisa Banes
Waking the Dead
(2002) with Billy Crudup, Jennifer Connelly
A Rumor of Angels
(2000), with Vanessa Redgrave, Ray Liotta
Sixth Sense
(1999) with Bruce Willis, Haley Joel Osment
City of Angels
(1998), with Nicolas Cage, Meg Ryan
Titanic
(1997) with Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet
Truly, Madly, Deeply
(1996), with Juliet Stevenson, Alan Rickman
Untamed Heart
(1993), with Christian Slater, Marisa Tomei
Ghost
(1990), with Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze
Always
(1989), with Richard Dreyfuss, Holly Hunter
Guilt
Departures
(2008) with Masahiro Motoki, Ryoko Hirosue
Moonlight Mile
(2002) with Jake Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman
A Rumor of Angels
(2000), with Vanessa Redgrave, Ray Liotta
Sixth Sense
(1999) with Bruce Willis
Philadelphia
(1993) with Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington
Ordinary People
(1980) with Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore
Spiritual Reaction to Loss
Sixth Sense
(1999) with Bruce Willis
Wide Awake
(1998) with Joseph Cross, Timothy Reifsnyder
Shadowlands
(1994) with Anthony Hopkins, Debra Winger
Finding Professional Help
Ordinary People
(1980) with Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore
Understanding Different Grieving Patterns in Your Family
November Christmas
(2010) with Sam Elliott, John Corbett
Rabbit Hole (2010) with Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart
Remember Me (2010) with Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin
The Boys Are Back
(2009) with Clive Owen, Laura Fraser
Departures
(2008) with Masahiro Motoki, Ryoko Hirosue
Eye of the Dolphin
(2007) with Carly Schroeder, Adrian Dunbar
Eye of the Dolphin
(2007) with Carly Schroeder, Adrian Dunbar
Boynton Beach Club
(2005) with Joseph Bologna, Dyan Cannon
Angel in the Family
(2004) with Meredith Baxter, Ronny Cox
Finding Neverland
(2004) with Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet
Straight from the Heart
(2003) with Teri Polo, Andrew McCarthy
In America
(2002) with Paddy Considine, Samantha Morton
Moonlight Mile
(2002) with Jake Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman
Marvin's Room
(1996), with Meryl Streep, Diane Keaton
Little Women
(1994), with Wynona Ryder, Susan Sarandon
My Girl
(1991) with Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis
Steel Magnolias
(1989), with Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine
Beaches
(1988), with Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey
Terms of Endearment
(1983), with Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger
Ordinary People
(1980) with Donald Sutherland, Mary Tyler Moore
Writing As A Way of Expressing Grief
Finding Neverland
(2004) with Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet
About Schmidt
(2002) with Jack Nicholson, Hope Davis
From Surviving to Transcending Your Grief
November Christmas
(2010) with Sam Elliott, John Corbett
The Boys Are Back
(2009) with Clive Owen, Laura Fraser
Up
(2009) with Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai
The Secret Life of Bees
(2008) with Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson
An Unfinished Life
(2005) with Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez
On a Clear Day
(2005) with Peter Mullin, Brenda Blethyn
Finding Neverland
(2004) with Johnny Depp, Kate Winslet
If Only
(2004) with Jennifer Love-Hewitt, Paul Nichols
In America
(2002) with Paddy Considine, Samantha Morton
About Schmidt
(2002) with Jack Nicholson, Hope Davis
Life As a House
(2001) with Kevin Cline, Kristin Scott Thomas
Angela's Ashes
(2000) with Andrew Bennett, Joe Breen
Good Will Hunting
(1999) with Robin Williams, Matt Damon
Life
(1999) with Eddie Murphy, Martin Lawrence
Message in a Bottle
(1999) with Kevin Costner, Robin Wright Penn
Nicholas' Gift
(1998) with Jamie Lee Curtis, Alan Bates
Simon Birch
(1998) with Ian Michael Smith, Oliver Platt
Four Weddings and a Funeral
(1994), with Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell
Shadowlands
(1994) with Anthony Hopkins, Debra Winger
Corrina, Corrina
(1994) with Whoopi Goldberg, Ray Liotta
A River Runs through It
(1992), with Robert Redford, Brad Pitt
Whose Life Is It Anyway
(1991), with Richard Dreyfuss
Brian's Song
(1971), with James Caan, Billy Dee Williams
How Green Was My Valley
(1941)
Loss of a Spouse, Partner or Significant Other
A Single Man
(2009) with Colin Firth, Julianne Moore
The Boys Are Back
(2009) with Clive Owen, Laura Fraser
Up
(2009) with Edward Asner, Jordan Nagai
An Unfinished Life
(2005) with Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez
Brokeback Mountain
(2005) with Jake Gyllenhaal, Heath Ledger
My Life
(1993) with Michael Keaton, Nicole Kidman
Love Story
(1971) with Ali MacGraw, Ryan O'Neal
Loss of A Child
November Christmas
(2010) with Sam Elliott, John Corbett
Rabbit Hole (2010) with Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart
Remember Me (2010) with Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin
An Unfinished Life
(2005) with Robert Redford, Jennifer Lopez
On a Clear Day
(2005) with Peter Mullin, Brenda Blethyn
Loss of A Parent
Remember Me (2010) with Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin
The Boys Are Back
(2009) with Clive Owen, Laura Fraser
Sunshine Cleaning
(2009) with Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson
The Secret Life of Bees
(2008) with Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson
Death at a Funeral
(2007) with Matthew Macfadyen, Peter Dinklage, directed by Frank Oz
Eye of the Dolphin
(2007) with Carly Schroeder, Adrian Dunbar
The Savages
(2007) with Philip Seymour Hoffman & Laura Linney
Two Weeks
(2006) with Sally Field, Ben Chaplin
Garden State
(2005) with Zach Braf, Natalie Portman
In Her Shoes
(2005) with Cameron Diaz, Shirley MacLaine
Big Fish
(2004) with Ewan McGregor, Albert Finney
My Girl
(1991) with Dan Aykroyd, Jamie Lee Curtis
Loss of A Friend
Catch & Release
(2007) with Jennifer Garner, Timothy Oliphant
The Bucket List
(2007) with Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman
Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont
(2005) with Joan Plowright, Rupert Friend
Brokeback Mountain
(2005) with Heath Ledger, Jake Gyllenhaal
Wit
(2001) with Emma Thompson, Christopher Lloyd
Tuesdays with Morrie
(1999) with Jack Lemmon, Hank Azaria
Four Weddings and a Funeral
(1999) with Hugh Grant, Andie McDowell
Nicholas' Gift
(1998) with Jamie Lee Curtis, Alan Bates
Philadelphia
(1993) with Tom Hanks, Denzel Washington
Beaches
(1988) with Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey
Brian's Song
(1971) with James Caan, Billy Dee Williams
Midnight Cowboy
(1969) with Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight
Loss of A Sibling
Remember Me (2010) with Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin
The Secret Life of Bees
(2008) with Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson
Walk the Line
(2006) with Joaquin Phoenix, Reese Witherspoon
Ray
(2004) with Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington
In America
(2002) with Paddy Considine, Samantha Morton
Little Women
(1994) with Winona Ryder, Gabriel Byrne
Traumatic Loss
Rabbit Hole (2010) with Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart
Remember Me (2010) with Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin
Reign Over Me
(2007) with Adam Sandler, Jonathan Banks
Missing in America
(2006) with Danny Glover, Ron Perlman
In The Bedroom
(2002) with Tom Wilkinson, Sissy Spacek
Loss of A Pet
Marley and Me
(2008) with Jennifer Aniston, Owen Wilson
My Dog Skip
(1999) with Frankie Muniz, Diane Lane
Where the Red Fern Grows
(1974) with Stewart Peterson, Beverly Garland
Old Yeller
(1957) with Fess Parker, Dorothy McGuire
Suicide Loss
Remember Me (2010) with Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Ravin
Sunshine Cleaning
(2009) with Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson
The Secret Life of Bees
(2008) with Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson
Anticipatory Grief
November Christmas
(2010) with Sam Elliott, John Corbett
Wit
(2001) with Emma Thompson, Christopher Lloyd
Tuesdays with Morrie
(1999) with Jack Lemmon, Hank Azaria
Brian's Song
(1971) with James Caan, Billy Dee Williams
Love Story
(1971) with Ali MacGraw, Ryan O'Neal
Copyright © 2003 – 2011 Marty Tousley. All rights reserved. If you wish to publish this article,
please email
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