The Notebook remains the gold standard for romantic melodrama — the rain kiss, the "it wasn't over," the devastating ending. If you've cried your way through it and need more emotional devastation, here are 10 films that deliver.
All streaming in the UK.
The List
1. A Walk to Remember (2002)
UK streaming: Netflix
A bad boy falls for a preacher's daughter. Mandy Moore and Shane West in peak early-2000s romance.
Why it fits: Same era, same Nicholas Sparks DNA (different author, same energy), same tearjerker ending.
The cry factor: High. Very high.
2. Titanic (1997)
UK streaming: Disney+
Jack and Rose on a doomed ship. James Cameron made the romantic epic of a generation.
Why it fits: Class-divided love, epic obstacles, devastating ending. The original modern romance blockbuster.
The cry factor: "Never let go" alone will destroy you.
3. Atonement (2007)
UK streaming: Netflix, Prime Video
A child's lie destroys two lovers. Keira Knightley and James McAvoy in wartime Britain.
Why it fits: Same "doomed love across time" structure. The library scene. The Dunkirk tracking shot. The twist ending.
The cry factor: Devastating on multiple levels.
4. Me Before You (2016)
UK streaming: Netflix
A small-town girl becomes caretaker to a paralysed banker. Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin.
Why it fits: Same structure — unlikely pair, growing love, impossible obstacles. Will make you sob.
The cry factor: Bring tissues.
5. Pride and Prejudice (2005)
UK streaming: Netflix
Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy. Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen.
Why it fits: Class obstacles, slow-burn romance, iconic confession scenes. The hand flex.
The cry factor: Happy tears by the end.
6. One Day (2011)
UK streaming: Netflix
Two people meet on graduation day and we follow their relationship across 20 years. Anne Hathaway and Jim Sturgess.
Why it fits: Same spanning-years structure. Same "why won't they just get together?" tension. Same devastating twist.
The cry factor: That scene. You'll know.
7. The Time Traveler's Wife (2009)
UK streaming: Prime Video
A man involuntarily travels through time, complicating his marriage. Rachel McAdams and Eric Bana.
Why it fits: Same Rachel McAdams energy. Same impossible obstacles. Same bittersweet conclusion.
The cry factor: The ending will wreck you.
Watch The Time Traveler's Wife
8. P.S. I Love You (2007)
UK streaming: Prime Video
A widow receives letters from her dead husband guiding her through grief. Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler.
Why it fits: Love beyond death. Designed specifically to make you cry. Gerard Butler being unexpectedly charming.
The cry factor: Maximum.
9. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
UK streaming: Disney+
Two teenagers with cancer fall in love. Shailene Woodley and Ansel Elgort.
Why it fits: Young love, impossible obstacles, predetermined tragedy. John Green's tearjerker adapted perfectly.
The cry factor: "Okay? Okay."
10. Call Me by Your Name (2017)
UK streaming: Prime Video, Netflix
A 17-year-old in Italy falls for his father's graduate student. Timothée Chalamet's breakthrough.
Why it fits: Summer love, impossible circumstances, devastating final shot. The peach scene aside, it's deeply romantic.
The cry factor: The phone call. The fireplace.
UK Streaming Quick Reference
| Title | Netflix | Prime Video | Disney+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Walk to Remember | ✓ | — | — |
| Titanic | — | — | ✓ |
| Atonement | ✓ | ✓ | — |
| Me Before You | ✓ | — | — |
| Pride and Prejudice | ✓ | — | — |
| One Day | ✓ | — | — |
| The Time Traveler's Wife | — | ✓ | — |
| P.S. I Love You | — | ✓ | — |
| The Fault in Our Stars | — | — | ✓ |
| Call Me by Your Name | ✓ | ✓ | — |
Availability checked March 2026
By Cry Level
Maximum devastation: → Me Before You, P.S. I Love You, One Day
Epic tragedy: → Titanic, Atonement
Bittersweet: → Call Me by Your Name, Pride and Prejudice
Terminal illness: → A Walk to Remember, The Fault in Our Stars
FAQ
What's the most similar? Me Before You — same structure, same obstacles, same cry factor.
What if I want happy tears? Pride and Prejudice has the happiest ending.
What's the most devastating? Atonement or One Day — both have twists that recontextualise everything.
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