Top 10 Teen Movie Moments That Made Us Happy Cry
#10: Vanessa Meets Her Baby & Juno’s Note “Juno” (2007)
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Few moments in life are as special as the moment a mother sees her child for the first time: and for Vanessa Loring, it sure has been a rocky road leading up to this moment. “Juno” takes us on one heck of an emotional rollercoaster, from the titular heroine’s struggles through teenage pregnancy, to Vanessa’s marriage falling apart shortly before the adoption. When Vanessa meets her son at the hospital and finally holds him in her arms, we’re just about ready to cry with relief that it all turned out well. One look at Juno’s framed note on the wall is all it takes to open the floodgates.
#9: Alike’s Poem “Pariah” (2011)
The road to adulthood is full of obstacles; and sometimes, these obstacles come from one’s own family. After being rejected by her homophobic mother, seventeen-year old Alike decides to move to California to start a new life. Seeing her get on that bus brings up a mix of overwhelming emotions: sadness for all the pain she’s gone through; and hope that the future will be bright. As Alike reads her poem, her voice is shaky with emotion, but her resolve is not. “Pariah” delivers a beautiful message of resilience in the face of adversity, and the raw power of that final scene is guaranteed to make anyone get misty-eyed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pariah_(2011_film)
#8: Gus’ Bittersweet Eulogy “The Fault in Our Stars” (2014)
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Based on John Green’s best-selling novel, this movie really made the tears pour from our eyes. Despite its gut-wrenching twist, in which it’s revealed that Gus is dying, the ending is more bittersweet than purely sad. After attending Gus’ funeral, Hazel Grace reads the draft of the eulogy he wrote for her. It doesn’t get much more romantic than professing your love from beyond the grave. Hazel can’t help but smile through her tears as Gus gushes about how lucky he is to love her – and neither can we. While it doesn’t take away the pain of grief, the eulogy seems to give her some form of closure – as well as a reminder of how much she was loved.
#7: Coming Full Circle With May Belle “Bridge to Terabithia” (2007)
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Who hasn’t dreamed of escaping into a fantasyland with their best friend? Bonded by their inability to fit in at school, Leslie and Jess become fast friends while exploring the imaginary land of Terabithia. While Leslie’s untimely death made us bawl our eyes out, the ending of the movie gets our tears flowing for a whole other reason. After mourning the loss of his friend, Jess decides to keep Terabithia alive as a way to honour Leslie’s memory: he even builds an actual bridge across the chasm to welcome his sister May Belle into the magical kingdom. Between the pain of losing Leslie and the look of pure happiness on little May’s face, we dare you not to get choked up.
#6: Kat Reads Her Poem to Patrick “10 Things I Hate About You” (1999)
In this modern-day retelling of Shakespeare’s “The Taming of the Shrew,” high school bad boy Patrick Verona falls head over heels for the strong-willed Kat Stratford. After finding out that he was initially paid to go out with her, Kat is understandably upset and refuses to speak to him. The atmosphere in their English class is tense as she reads out her poem, “10 Things I Hate About You,” which is obviously addressed to Patrick. However, as she reads, it becomes clear that the poem is actually not at all about hate; instead, it turns into a public declaration of love. It’s hard not to get weepy when Kat’s cold façade crumbles in front of a hopeful Patrick – courtesy of an incredibly poignant performance by Julia Stiles, whose tears were actually unscripted.
#5: Kayla and Her Dad Talk Over the Campfire “Eighth Grade” (2018)
While we all remember the drama of high school, there are fewer movies about the painful awkwardness that is middle school. “Eighth Grade” follows thirteen-year old Kayla Day in her last days of middle school, as she deals with anxiety and low self-esteem. In what is possibly the most touching scene of the movie, the teenager asks her father if she makes him sad. Mr. Day may not be a perfect dad, but his answer is a truly heartwarming example of a parent’s unconditional love and pride. Growing up means knowing that your parents can’t fix all your problems for you, but it makes a world of difference to know they still have your back: seeing Kayla’s dad step up is enough to make anyone shed a few happy tears.
#4: Feeling Infinite “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (2012)
Freshman Charlie Kelmeckis is used to being a loner; but when cool seniors Patrick and Sam take him under their wing, he discovers the joys of friendship, love, and awesome music. While there are plenty of emotional moments in this movie, the one that really pulls at the heartstrings is the infamous tunnel scene. Sure, it’s just three friends having fun driving down a highway tunnel. But it’s also a deeply relatable depiction of being young and enjoying the present moment – or, as Charlie puts it, of “feeling infinite.” And if you’re not sobbing, the opening notes of David Bowie’s “Heroes” will be more than enough to push you over the edge.
#3: Landon Proposes to Jamie “A Walk to Remember” (2002)
Before we’d ever heard of Augustus Waters and Hazel Grace Lancaster, we had Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan; their romance was doomed from the start, but they still shared one of the most memorable love stories in movie history. Above all else, the scene when Landon proposes to Jamie on the balcony has us grabbing for our tissues. The moment is bittersweet, as we know that she has only months left to live; but it’s hard not to shed tears of joy when we see how happy they are together. Though Jamie eventually dies one mere summer later, at least we can take solace in knowing that she got to marry the love of her life.
#2: Mrs. Spier’s Speech to Simon “Love, Simon” (2018)
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Being a teenager in the closet is no walk in the park; and things get complicated for Simon after he gets outed on their school website. Thankfully, his family is 100% there for him. While his dad’s reaction is adorable, the real tearjerker is Simon’s talk with his mom. After sitting her son down, Mrs. Spier reveals that she’d noticed Simon growing from a carefree child to a guarded teenager. Now that the cat’s out of the bag, Mrs. Spier assures her son that he can finally “exhale” and be himself. Few things feel as great as being accepted by your family, and the impact on Simon is visible as he realizes he no longer has to hide the fact that he’s gay. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: A Quiet Student Reads from His Diary “Freedom Writers” (2007) Sara’s Audition for Julliard “Save the Last Dance” (2001) Anna Welcomes Ryan Into the Family “Freaky Friday” (2003) Mary Defends Dean and His Boyfriend “Saved!” (2004) Allie and Noah in the Rain “The Notebook” (2004)
#1: Turning Pleasantville Full of Color “Pleasantville” (1998)
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When David and Jennifer inexplicably land into the black-and-white sitcom “Pleasantville,” they bring a well-needed dollop of color to the conservative little town. This movie has several tear-jerking moments, but the best one is when David emerges from court to see the town of Pleasantville bursting with vibrant hues. While certainly nice to look at, the change is more than just aesthetic: it symbolizes the victory of beauty and freedom over arbitrary rules. When you see the looks of childlike wonder on the townspeople’s faces as they leave their monochrome world behind . . . well, bring on the happy tears.
