10 Fantastic Movies With Bittersweet & Uplifting Endings

There are plenty of comedies that make you laugh and dramas that make you cry, but sometimes, a movie with a little bit of both is what you need. Films that balance the happiness and sadness of their stories, culminating in uplifting but melancholic conclusions, stay with the audience for a long time. Classics like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind are well known for their bittersweet tone and philosophical storytelling. Whether they’re more fantastical, like Eternal Sunshine​​​​​​, or grounded in reality, all of these projects hit home.

These films don’t have the best feel-good endings of movies, as they’re still tinged by the loss and drama of the over-arching plot, but they’re still happy in the end. Even if the characters don’t get what they want by the story’s conclusion, they get what they need and learn a lot about themselves along the way. All the characters in these films take risks and put their hearts on the line in the pursuit of joy and self-actualization, and it inspires the viewer to take a chance and risk being hurt to find that same contentment.

10

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind (2004)

Directed by Michel Gondry

Like

Follow

Followed

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

R

Romance

Sci-Fi

Drama

ScreenRant logo

9/10

8/10

Release Date

March 19, 2004

Runtime

108 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot of Kate Winslet

    Kate Winslet

  • Headshot Of Jim Carrey In The North America Rights

    Jim Carrey

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Kate Winslet and Jim Carrey are at their best as Clementine and Joel, a pair of lovers who split up and decide to have their memories of each other erased. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is the perfect blend of sci-fi, comedy, romance, and drama, taking the audience on an unforgettable emotional journey. As the story progresses, Joel realizes that he doesn’t want the happiness he shared with Clementine to be erased, even if that means holding onto the moments that hurt him.

Eternal Sunshine, 300 Days of Summer, and Blue Valentine

Related

20 Movies To Watch If You Loved Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind

Make sure you check out these other strange and compelling movies if you loved Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.

Posts

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind reminds us that there can be no love and connection without loss and heartbreak and that the fear of sadness shouldn’t prevent us from finding love. In the end, Joel and Clementine find each other again, only to discover the truth of their previous relationship. However, the fact that they decide to be together, despite the risk, is a testament to the power of love and hope in romance and life.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

92%

94%

9

Big Fish (2003)

Directed by Tim Burton

0150774_poster_w780.jpg

Like

Follow

Followed

Big Fish

PG-13

Adventure

Documentary

Drama

Fantasy

Release Date

December 25, 2003

Runtime

125 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Ewan McGregor In The New York premiere of 'A Gentleman In Moscow'

    Ewan McGregor

    Ed Bloom (senior)

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Albert Finney

    Ed Bloom (young)

  • Headshot OF Billy Crudup

    Billy Crudup

    Will Bloom

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Jessica Lange

    Sandra Bloom (senior)

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Tim Burton’s classic fantastical style and tone lend themselves perfectly to the story of Big Fish. Based on the novel by Daniel Wallace, Big Fish is about the relationship between a father and son and the different ways they approach their lives. Ewan McGregor plays the young Edward, the father to Will (Billy Crudup), who struggles to accept his father’s outlandish stories and attention-seeking behavior. The father and son reconnect when Edward is dying, prompting Will to reevaluate their dynamic.

It’s easy to understand why Will is frustrated with Edward, but he eventually comes to realize that Edward’s over-the-top tall tales were a way for him to make life more magical for everyone. The film ends with Edward’s death, and Will finally accepts his role in the narrative and his decision to keep Edward’s stories alive. Though we know that Edward is dying, and it’s the only way for Will to come to terms with their relationship, it still hits home when he passes.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Big Fish (2004)

76%

89%

8

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Directed by Valerie Faris & Jonathan Dayton

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Like

Follow

Followed

Little Miss Sunshine

R

Adventure

Comedy

Drama

9/10

Release Date

July 26, 2006

Runtime

101 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Abigail Breslin

    Abigail Breslin

  • Headshot of Greg Kinnear In The Apple TV+'s 75th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

    Greg Kinnear

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

In one of the best serious movie performances by a comedy actor, Steve Carell shines in Little Miss Sunshine. However, his character, Frank, is far from the only person with a lot of growing to do throughout Little Miss Sunshine. His dysfunctional family sets off across the country to bring the young Olive (Abigail Breslin) to a children’s beauty pageant. As the road trip devolves and all the characters’ worst fears and traits are brought to the surface, Little Miss Sunshine mines both comedy and tragedy from these moments.

The tragi-comedy tone of Little Miss Sunshine isn’t easy to pull off, but the film finds moments of pure joy and freedom immediately after grief.

After facing loss, humiliation, and the death of their dreams, the family comes together to support Olive in her performance at the pageant. Through their experience, the characters have learned not to care so much about what other people think and their expectations, staying true to themselves instead. The tragi-comedy tone of Little Miss Sunshine isn’t easy to pull off, but the film finds moments of pure joy and freedom immediately after grief.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

91%

91%

7

Secondhand Lions (2003)

Directed by Tim McCanlies

Secondhand Lions

PG

Comedy

Documentary

Drama

Family

Release Date

September 19, 2003

Runtime

111 minutes

Cast

  • Shot Of Michael Caine In The World premiere of 'The Great Escaper' at BFI Southbank

    Michael Caine

  • Headshot Of Robert Duvall In The 40th Anniversary and World Premiere of Apocalypse

    Robert Duvall

  • Headshot Of Haley Joel Osment In The Premiere Of Shout! Studios

    Haley Joel Osment

  • Headshot Of Kyra Sedgwick In The New York Women In Film & Television (NYWIFT) 44th Annual Muse Awards

    Kyra Sedgwick

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

The joys of youth and growing older are at the forefront of Secondhand Lions​​​​​​, which stars a young Haley Joel Osment, Robert Duvall, and Michael Caine. Osment plays the young nephew, Walter, of Hub (Duvall) and Garth (Caine), two cantankerous old men who keep the world out now that the adventures of their youth have come to an end. However, the trio soon form a bond, and the men realize how much they’ve grown to care for Walter as they share the stories of their lives.

While the exciting yarns Hub and Garth spin are lighthearted, Secondhand Lions deals with the fact that Walter’s mother is absent and eventually with the men’s deaths. Walter mourns their loss, but he’s satisfied by the knowledge that they had full lives up through their final moments. In turn, Walter has learned to live himself, providing a heart-warming end to a tale full of magical realism, loss, and unforgettable exploits.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Secondhand Lions (2003)

61%

84%

6

La La Land (2016)

Directed by Damien Chazelle

Like

Follow

Followed

La La Land

PG-13

Drama

Musical

Comedy

ScreenRant logo

9/10

8.6/10

Release Date

December 9, 2016

Runtime

128 Minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Hemky Madera

    Hemky Madera

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    meagen fay

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling have fantastic chemistry in all of their collaborations, but La La Land might be the culmination of all of their work. An exploration of love, ambition, and the sacrifices we make for our dreams, La La Land sees Mia (Stone) and Sebastian (Gosling) fall head-over-heels for each other and struggle to balance their relationship with their big aspirations. When they realize they have to go their separate ways, it’s painful but necessary.

Of course, we want to see Sebastian and Mia together at the end of La La Land, but they could never have achieved their dreams this way.

Of course, we want to see Sebastian and Mia together at the end of La La Land, but they could never have achieved their dreams this way. When they briefly reconnect as older and wiser people, they can acknowledge the importance of their relationship and that it changed them forever but that it isn’t what they need anymore. There’s still plenty of love and appreciation between them, but they’re happy with the lives they’ve found separately.

TItle

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

La La Land (2016)

91%

82%

5

Lars And The Real Girl (2007)

Directed by Craig Gillespie

Lars and the Real Girl - Poster

Like

Follow

Followed

Lars and the Real Girl

PG-13

Comedy

Drama

Romance

10/10

Release Date

October 12, 2007

Runtime

106 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Ryan Gosling In The Paris premiere of 'The Fall Guy'

    Ryan Gosling

    Lars Lindstrom

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Emily Mortimer

    Karin

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

One of Ryan Gosling’s best movies is also one of his most underrated. Lars and the Real Girl showcases that despite his good looks, Gosling is at his best as an offbeat character actor. Gosling’s character, Lars, struggles with isolation and social awkwardness, resulting in a relationship with a life-size doll he treats as real and calls Bianca. The way his family and small town rally around Lars and help him grieve her loss when Lars is ready to move on from their relationship demonstrates the tone and heart of the film.

Though Bianca’s “death” is sad and Lars mourns her, it’s a sign that he’s ready to accept real life and test out his ability to connect with others. The premise of Lars and the Real Girl is a little out there, but it develops into a heartfelt and human story about Lars and the universal fear of loss and rejection in relationships. Lars’s problems aren’t all solved, and the past hasn’t changed, but he takes his first steps toward the happiness and connection he’s been denied.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Lars and the Real Girl (2007)

81%

84%

4

Cinema Paradiso (1988)

Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore

Cinema Paradiso

Like

Follow

Followed

Cinema Paradiso

PG

Drama

Romance

Release Date

February 23, 1990

Runtime

174 Minutes

Cast

See All

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

A romantic and sentimental film, Cinema Paradiso is for movie lovers. Following the story of Salvatore, a boy growing up in Sicily who eventually becomes a prominent director, Cinema Paradiso is about the pain and beauty of leaving behind the place you once called home. However, Salvatore’s upbringing and life in Sicily remain with him throughout his life, and his relationship with Alfredo (Philippe Noiret) defines him. It’s Alfredo who begs Salvatore to leave, and it’s his death that ultimately brings him back.

This montage of famous kiss scenes in cinema reminds Salvatore why he fell in love with movies and sparks a passion that he hasn’t felt in years.

The final moments of Cinema Paradiso are some of the most beautiful and satisfying in film history. The adult Salvatore (Jacques Perrin) comes back to the movie theater of his childhood and discovers that Alfredo saved all the kiss scenes in movies that he once had to cut due to censorship by the church. This montage of famous kiss scenes in cinema reminds Salvatore why he fell in love with movies and sparks a passion that he hasn’t felt in years.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

Cinema Paradiso (1988)

91%

96%

3

The Farewell (2019)

Directed by Lulu Wang

the farewell

Like

Follow

Followed

The Farewell

PG

Comedy

ScreenRant logo

9/10

9/10

Release Date

July 12, 2019

Runtime

98 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    X Mayo

  • Headshot Of Gil Perez-Abraham

    Gil Perez-Abraham

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

Awkwafina leads the cast of Lulu Wang’s The Farewell as Billi, a young woman who struggles over whether or not to keep her grandmother’s illness a secret. The Farewell touches upon the cultural differences between the U.S. and China, as Billi’s family expresses that keeping Nai Nai’s (Zhao Shu-zhen) disease a secret is for the best. Up until the final moments of the film, Billi is unsure what the right thing to do is and questions if she’s being fueled by selfishness.

It’s a complex issue, and when Billi decides not to tell Nai Nai the truth, it’s an intense moment that’s colored by the genuine love and advice that Nai Nai imparts to her. Though Billi has to keep living with the knowledge that she’s going to lose her grandmother, she’s brought closer to her through this burden and understands the value of life more clearly. As she leaves to return to New York City from Changchun, Billi’s experience has affirmed and healed her, even if it was painful.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

The Farewell (2019)

97%

87%

2

The Apartment (1960)

Directed by Billy Wilder

The Apartment (1960) - Poster

Like

Follow

Followed

The Apartment

Approved

Comedy

Drama

Romance

10/10

Release Date

June 15, 1960

Runtime

125 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Jack Lemmon

    Jack Lemmon

  • Headshot Of Shirley MacLaine

    Shirley MacLaine

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

One of Billy Wilder’s best movies, The Apartment, has stood the test of time for a reason, with contemporary themes that translate to the modern age. Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine play the movie’s protagonists. They bring not only strong romantic and comedic chemistry but also the sensitivity and depth necessary to their characters. It’s MacLaine’s Fran who goes through the most in The Apartment, as the movie frankly touches upon her struggles with depression, which was significant in the 1960s.

10-Movies-From-The-1960s-That-Are-Considered-Masterpieces

Related

10 Movies From The 1960s That Are Considered Masterpieces

Many of the best movies of the 1960s are now considered timeless classics, and they still deserve appreciation from audiences in the 21st century.

Posts

11

It can be difficult to see Fran pushed to her breaking point and witness the terrible way the men in the film treat the young women they have affairs with. Though The Apartment lightens the mood with plenty of comedy and moments of levity, there’s a dark undercurrent throughout the story. However, The Apartment slowly builds to a happy ending for both Fran and Bud (Lemmon), which is well-deserved. Seeing them end up together is even more satisfying because of the good man Bud has become throughout the film.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

The Apartment (1960)

93%

94%

1

The Last Black Man In San Francisco (2019)

Directed by Joe Talbot

The Last Black Man in San Francisco

R

Drama

Release Date

June 7, 2019

Runtime

121 minutes

Cast

See All

  • Headshot Of Jonathan Majors

    Jonathan Majors

    Montgomery Allen

  • Cast Placeholder Image

    Jimmie Fails

    Jimmie Fails

  • Headshot Of Rob Morgan In The American Black Film Festival Honors Awards

    Rob Morgan

    James Sr.

  • Headshot OF Tichina Arnold

    Tichina Arnold

    Wanda Fails

Powered by

Expand
Collapse

When a movie centers on the legacy and history of a particular city, it’s easy to call the film a “love letter” to that place. While this moniker has become a little cliche, there aren’t many other ways to classify The Last Black Man in San Francisco other than a love letter. Starring Jimmie Fails as a fictionalized version of himself, The Last Black Man in San Francisco grapples with the changes the city has gone through due to gentrification and the passage of time.

The San Francisco Jimmie is searching for is almost gone, though pieces of it remain; time is moving too fast for Jimmie to hold it together. On one hand, it’s sad when Jimmie decides to move on and leave San Francisco behind, but it’s also freeing and joyful. The important parts of the city, his loved ones, will be there, but Jimmie needs to find himself somewhere else and find a corner of the world to make his own. There’s an inherent sadness in leaving home, but it’s also exciting and full of possibilities.

Title

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score

The Last Black Man In San Francisco (2019)

93%

84%