Only 8 Saddest Movies Ever Made Hold a Perfect 100% on Rotten Tomatoes

Or even an ugly, blubbering, can't-stop-weeping cry? We got you covered with these certified tearjerkers, all of which have an impressive 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

1. Where is the Friend’s House? (1987)

IMDB rating 8.1/10

Written and directed by Abbas Kiarostami, this Iranian drama stars young brothers Babak and Ahmed Ahmadpour. When a schoolboy sees his friend threatened with expulsion by their teacher for not doing his homework, his anxiety is compounded when he returns home and discovers that he has accidentally taken his friend's notebook home with him. Ignoring his mother's wishes, he bravely sets off alone to the nearest village to find his friend's home so he can return the notebook and prevent his friend's expulsion.

2. The Yearling (1946)

IMDB rating 7.2/10

This family western was adapted from the novel of the same name by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, written by Paul Osborn and directed by Clarence Brown. Starring legendary actor Gregory Peck, it follows the story of a family that has already suffered tragedy, losing all their children except one, Jody. His father, played by Peck, is warm and loving, in contrast to his grief-stricken mother, who is afraid to love him. Jody adopts an orphaned fawn and soon learns some hard lessons about life and death.

3. Au Hasard Balthazar (1966)

IMDB rating 7.8/10

The title of this French tragedy film translates as Balthazar at Random and is sometimes simply referred to as Balthazar. Supposedly loosely based on a passage from Fyodor Dostoevsky's The Idiot, the title character is a donkey, and we follow his journey as he is traded among various owners throughout his life. But only one owner treats him kindly, young Marie, played by Anne Wiazemsky. Balthasar keeps escaping and finding his way back to Marie, until fate finally and cruelly intervenes.

4. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

IMDB rating 8.5/10

Based on the semi-autobiographical short story of the same name by Akiyuki Nosaka, this animated Japanese war drama is set in early 1945. The story focuses on two orphaned siblings and their struggle to survive after the horrific bombing of the city of Kobe by U.S. military forces and the ensuing chaos and famine. After losing their mother in the attack, Seita and Setsuko endure sacrifice, fear, and abuse at the hands of their aunt until they run away to try to fend for themselves.

5. Make Way for Tomorrow (1937)

IMDB rating 8.2/10

Director Leo McCarey considered this to be his best film, and in 2010 it was selected for preservation in the United States Library of Congress National Film Registry. Starring Victor Moore and Beulah Bondi, it tells the story of an elderly couple who lose their home to foreclosure and are forced to live separately with their children. Tensions run high and things become unbearable for everyone, resulting in some truly heartbreaking and even infuriating scenes.

6. Old Yeller (1957)

IMDB rating 7.2/10

This film is so well known, thanks to decades of pop culture references, that it almost needs no introduction. The classic Western family drama tale of a beloved dog who will do anything to protect his loved ones and pays the ultimate price. Directed by Robert Stevenson and starring Spike as the title character in what is considered his "breakout" role, it broke the hearts of generations.

7. Tokyo Story (1953)

IMDB rating 8.1/10

Written and directed by the legendary Yasujirō Ozu, this Japanese drama centers on an elderly couple who travel to Tokyo to visit their grown children and widowed daughter-in-law. The sadness here lies in the fact that the children are all too busy to make time for their parents, which becomes even more troubling when Tomi, their mother, becomes dangerously ill.

8. Vagabond (1985)

IMDB rating 7.7/10

This French drama promises to be devastating from the start. A woman is found frozen to death in a ditch in the countryside, and the movie then shows us in detail how she got there. Featuring a wonderfully heartbreaking performance by Sandrine Bonnaire in the lead role of Mona, this is a film that will stay with you long after you have finished watching it.