Sad Romance Movies & TV Shows About Terminal Illness
by mariegarca | created - 03 Feb 2021 | updated - 3 months ago | Public- Instant Watch Options
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1. Love Story (1970)
PG | 100 min | Drama, Romance
A boy and a girl from different backgrounds fall in love regardless of their upbringing - and then tragedy strikes.
Director: Arthur Hiller | Stars: Ali MacGraw, Ryan O'Neal, John Marley, Ray Milland
Votes: 37,461 | Gross: $106.40M
2. Dark Victory (1976 TV Movie)
TV-PG | 150 min | Drama, Romance
A television producer (Elizabeth Montgomery) with a terminal illness is given the strength to keep going by her love for her doctor (Sir Anthony Hopkins).
Director: Robert Butler | Stars: Elizabeth Montgomery, Anthony Hopkins, Michele Lee, Janet MacLachlan
Votes: 271
3. Terms of Endearment (1983)
PG | 132 min | Comedy, Drama
Follows hard-to-please Aurora looking for love and her daughter's family problems.
Director: James L. Brooks | Stars: Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito
Votes: 65,513 | Gross: $108.42M
4. Steel Magnolias (1989)
PG | 117 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A young beautician, newly arrived in a small Louisiana town, finds work at the local salon, where a small group of women share a close bond of friendship, and welcome her into the fold.
Director: Herbert Ross | Stars: Shirley MacLaine, Olympia Dukakis, Sally Field, Julia Roberts
Votes: 63,112 | Gross: $83.76M
5. Dying Young (1991)
R | 111 min | Drama, Romance
A caregiver falls in love with a terminally ill man.
Director: Joel Schumacher | Stars: Julia Roberts, Campbell Scott, Vincent D'Onofrio, Colleen Dewhurst
Votes: 17,217 | Gross: $33.67M
6. Shadowlands (1993)
PG | 131 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
C.S. Lewis, a world-renowned Christian theologian, writer and professor, leads a passionless life until he meets spirited poet Joy Gresham from the U.S.
Director: Richard Attenborough | Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Debra Winger, Julian Fellowes, Roddy Maude-Roxby
Votes: 20,453 | Gross: $25.84M
7. Spoiler Alert (II) (2022)
PG-13 | 112 min | Comedy, Drama
The story of Michael Ausiello and Kit Cowan's relationship, which takes a tragic turn when Cowan is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Director: Michael Showalter | Stars: Jim Parsons, Ben Aldridge, Josh Pais, Allegra Heart
Votes: 7,165
8. Love Lives On (1985 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 95 min | Drama
A 15-year-old girl must choose between continuing her pregnancy and undergoing treatment for her fast-growing cancer.
Director: Larry Peerce | Stars: Mary Stuart Masterson, Sam Waterston, Christine Lahti, Ricky Paull Goldin
Votes: 142
9. Fried Green Tomatoes (1991)
PG-13 | 130 min | Drama
Evelyn, an ordinary housewife, visits a nursing home and befriends the old lady Ninny. Together, they bond over stories from the past about two intrepid women of Whistle Stop Cafe.
Director: Jon Avnet | Stars: Kathy Bates, Jessica Tandy, Mary Stuart Masterson, Mary-Louise Parker
Votes: 83,713 | Gross: $82.42M
10. Cupid & Cate (2000 TV Movie)
Not Rated | 100 min | Drama, Romance
Cate has a vintage clothing store. She attends her nasty dad's birthday party/family gathering where she meets Harry. She's dating Philip but he's dull - contrary to Harry.
Director: Brent Shields | Stars: Mary-Louise Parker, Peter Gallagher, Bebe Neuwirth, Philip Bosco
Votes: 825
11. Untamed Heart (1993)
PG-13 | 102 min | Drama, Romance
A waitress hardly notices a shy busboy who secretly loves her; until one night she's attacked and he comes to her rescue. From there a relationship sparks but one secret could mean disaster for these fated lovers.
Director: Tony Bill | Stars: Christian Slater, Marisa Tomei, Rosie Perez, Kyle Secor
Votes: 15,470 | Gross: $18.90M
12. My Life (1993)
PG-13 | 117 min | Drama
A terminally ill man prepares for his death.
Director: Bruce Joel Rubin | Stars: Michael Keaton, Nicole Kidman, Bradley Whitford, Queen Latifah
Votes: 12,187 | Gross: $27.48M
13. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
PG-13 | 127 min | Drama, Musical, Romance
A poor Bohemian poet in 1890s Paris falls for a beautiful courtesan and nightclub star coveted by a jealous duke.
Director: Baz Luhrmann | Stars: Nicole Kidman, Ewan McGregor, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent
Votes: 299,462 | Gross: $57.39M
14. Infinity (1996)
PG | 119 min | Biography, Drama
Story of the early life of genius and Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman.
Director: Matthew Broderick | Stars: Matthew Broderick, Patricia Arquette, Jeffrey Force, Peter Riegert
Votes: 1,999 | Gross: $0.20M
15. Evita (1996)
PG | 135 min | Biography, Drama, History
The hit musical based on the life of Eva Perón (Evita Duarte), a B-picture Argentinian actress who eventually became the wife of Argentinian president Juan Domingo Perón, and the most beloved and hated woman in Argentina.
Director: Alan Parker | Stars: Madonna, Jonathan Pryce, Antonio Banderas, Jimmy Nail
Votes: 37,585 | Gross: $50.05M
16. Shattered Hearts: A Moment of Truth Movie (1998 TV Movie)
89 min | Drama, Romance
Teenager Julie's life changes forever when her high-school sweetheart Luke is diagnosed with leukemia. Together they try to make the best of things, intent on carrying out a dream vacation to Canada.
Director: James A. Contner | Stars: Beth Broderick, Scott Vickaryous, Katie Gratson, Malcolm Stewart
Votes: 264
17. The End of the Affair (1999)
R | 102 min | Drama, Romance
A desperate man tries to find out why his beloved left him years ago.
Director: Neil Jordan | Stars: Ralph Fiennes, Julianne Moore, Stephen Rea, Heather-Jay Jones
Votes: 23,957 | Gross: $10.66M
18. Freeheld (2015)
PG-13 | 103 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
New Jersey police lieutenant Laurel Hester and her registered domestic partner Stacie Andree battle to secure Hester's pension benefits when she is diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Director: Peter Sollett | Stars: Julianne Moore, Elliot Page, Steve Carell, Michael Shannon
Votes: 13,241 | Gross: $0.53M
19. Here on Earth (2000)
PG-13 | 96 min | Drama, Romance
A rich college kid is taught a lesson after a joy ride ends up destroying a country restaurant.
Director: Mark Piznarski | Stars: Chris Klein, Leelee Sobieski, Josh Hartnett, Michael Rooker
Votes: 8,896 | Gross: $10.49M
20. Autumn in New York (2000)
PG-13 | 103 min | Drama, Romance
Romantic drama about an aging playboy who falls for a sweet, but terminally ill, young woman.
Director: Joan Chen | Stars: Richard Gere, Winona Ryder, Anthony LaPaglia, Elaine Stritch
Votes: 28,308 | Gross: $37.75M
21. Sweet November (2001)
PG-13 | 119 min | Drama, Romance
A workaholic executive, and an unconventional woman agree to a personal relationship for a short period. In this short period she changes his life.
Director: Pat O'Connor | Stars: Keanu Reeves, Charlize Theron, Jason Isaacs, Greg Germann
Votes: 94,606 | Gross: $25.29M
22. A Walk to Remember (2002)
PG | 101 min | Drama, Romance
Two North Carolina teens, Landon Carter and Jamie Sullivan, are thrown together after Landon gets into trouble and is sentenced to perform community service.
Director: Adam Shankman | Stars: Mandy Moore, Shane West, Peter Coyote, Daryl Hannah
Votes: 221,437 | Gross: $41.28M
23. Griffin & Phoenix (2006)
PG-13 | 102 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Two people face a seemingly-insurmountable obstacle that might stand between them and a last chance at love.
Director: Ed Stone | Stars: Amanda Peet, Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Paulson, Blair Brown
Votes: 8,217
24. My Sister's Keeper (2009)
PG-13 | 109 min | Drama, Family
Anna Fitzgerald looks to earn medical emancipation from her parents who until now have relied on their youngest child to help their leukemia-stricken daughter Kate remain alive.
Director: Nick Cassavetes | Stars: Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin, Alec Baldwin, Walter Raney
Votes: 98,369 | Gross: $49.20M
25. Bright Star (2009)
PG | 119 min | Biography, Drama, Romance
The three-year romance between 19th-century poet John Keats and Fanny Brawne near the end of his life.
Director: Jane Campion | Stars: Abbie Cornish, Ben Whishaw, Paul Schneider, Kerry Fox
Votes: 28,713 | Gross: $4.44M
26. Listen to Your Heart (2010)
Not Rated | 102 min | Drama, Music, Romance
A singer/songwriter falls in love with a girl who can't hear the music she inspires him to write.
Director: Matt Thompson | Stars: Alexia Rasmussen, Kent Moran, Cybill Shepherd, Shirley Knight
Votes: 4,814
27. Restless (I) (2011)
PG-13 | 91 min | Drama, Romance
The story of a terminally ill teenage girl who falls for a boy who likes to attend funerals and their encounters with the ghost of a Japanese kamikaze pilot from WWII.
Director: Gus Van Sant | Stars: Mia Wasikowska, Henry Hopper, Ryô Kase, Schuyler Fisk
Votes: 18,408 | Gross: $0.16M
28. A Little Bit of Heaven (2011)
PG-13 | 106 min | Comedy, Drama, Fantasy
An irreverent young woman who uses her humor to prevent matters from getting serious has a life-changing visit with her doctor.
Director: Nicole Kassell | Stars: Kate Hudson, Gael García Bernal, Kathy Bates, Peter Dinklage
Votes: 29,706 | Gross: $0.01M
29. Now Is Good (2012)
PG-13 | 103 min | Drama, Romance
A teenage girl dying of leukemia compiles a list of things she would like to do before passing away. Topping the list is her desire to lose her virginity.
Director: Ol Parker | Stars: Dakota Fanning, Josef Altin, Jeremy Irvine, Paddy Considine
Votes: 35,041
30. The Fault in Our Stars (2014)
PG-13 | 126 min | Drama, Romance
Hazel and Gus are teenagers who meet at a cancer support group and fall in love. They both share the same acerbic wit and a love of books, especially "An Imperial Affliction", so they embark on a journey to visit an author in Amsterdam.
Director: Josh Boone | Stars: Shailene Woodley, Ansel Elgort, Nat Wolff, Laura Dern
Votes: 401,293 | Gross: $124.87M
31. Chasing Life (2014–2015)
TV-14 | 60 min | Drama, Family, Romance
April Carver, whose world has just started to look up, is diagnosed with leukemia. With the support of her family and best friend, she might just be able to fight it.
Stars: Italia Ricci, Mary Page Keller, Richard Brancatisano, Haley Ramm
Votes: 6,216
32. Until Forever (2016)
Unrated | 100 min | Drama, Romance
Until Forever: The Michael Boyum Story is a powerful, true account of one young man's courageous battle with leukemia and his journey of faith.
Director: Michael Linn | Stars: Stephen Anthony Bailey, Madison Lawlor, Jamie Anderson, Hayden Loven
Votes: 728 | Gross: $0.07M
33. Kiss and Cry (I) (2017)
95 min | Biography, Drama, Music
A romantic drama based on the story of Carley Allison, a promising 18-year-old figure skater and singer who made medical history in her fight against a rare 1-in-3.5 billion type of sarcoma.
Director: Sean Cisterna | Stars: Sarah Fisher, Luke Bilyk, Chantal Kreviazuk, Sergio Di Zio
Votes: 3,189
34. Zac and Mia (2017–2019)
TV-14 | 12 min | Drama
Based on the novel by A.J. Betts about two teens battling cancer in the same hospital.
Stars: Anne Winters, Kian Lawley, Alexis G. Zall, Keli Daniels
Votes: 696
35. Irreplaceable You (2018)
TV-MA | 96 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
A man and a woman who have known each other since age 8 are destined to be together until death does them part.
Director: Stephanie Laing | Stars: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michiel Huisman, Steve Coogan, Timothy Simons
Votes: 10,431
36. Midnight Sun (2018)
PG-13 | 91 min | Drama, Romance
A 17-year-old girl suffers from a condition that prevents her from being out in the sunlight.
Director: Scott Speer | Stars: Bella Thorne, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Rob Riggle, Quinn Shephard
Votes: 36,133 | Gross: $9.56M
37. Snapshots (2018)
TV-MA | 95 min | Drama
When a grandmother's secret past collides with her granddaughter's secret future and her daughter's angry present, can the love of three generations be enough to accept decades of deceit. With a simple roll of film it begins.
Director: Melanie Mayron | Stars: Piper Laurie, Brooke Adams, Emily Baldoni, Christopher McVay
Votes: 2,456
38. After Life (2019–2022)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
After Tony's wife dies, his nice-guy persona is altered into an impulsive, devil-may-care attitude that takes his old world by storm.
Stars: Ricky Gervais, Tom Basden, Tony Way, Diane Morgan
Votes: 153,389
39. Five Feet Apart (2019)
PG-13 | 116 min | Drama, Romance
A pair of teenagers with cystic fibrosis meet in a hospital and fall in love, though their disease means they must avoid close physical contact.
Director: Justin Baldoni | Stars: Haley Lu Richardson, Cole Sprouse, Moises Arias, Kimberly Hebert Gregory
Votes: 82,679 | Gross: $45.73M
40. The Art of Racing in the Rain (2019)
PG | 109 min | Comedy, Drama, Romance
Through his bond with his owner, aspiring Formula One race car driver Denny, golden retriever Enzo learns that the techniques needed on the racetrack can also be used to successfully navigate the journey of life.
Director: Simon Curtis | Stars: Kevin Costner, Milo Ventimiglia, Jackie Minns, Marcus Hondro
Votes: 38,199 | Gross: $25.50M
41. I Still Believe (2020)
PG | 116 min | Biography, Drama, Music
The true-life story of Christian music star Jeremy Camp and his journey of love and loss that looks to prove there is always hope.
Directors: Andrew Erwin, Jon Erwin | Stars: K.J. Apa, Britt Robertson, Nathan Parsons, Gary Sinise
Votes: 13,627
42. 2 Hearts (2020)
PG-13 | 101 min | Drama, Romance
For two couples the future unfolds in different decades and different places, but a hidden connection will bring them together in a way no one could have predicted.
Director: Lance Hool | Stars: Jacob Elordi, Adan Canto, Tiera Skovbye, Radha Mitchell
Votes: 9,185
43. Life in a Year (2020)
PG-13 | 107 min | Drama, Romance
The movie follows 17-year-old Daryn who finds out that his girlfriend is dying. He sets out to give her an entire life in the last year she has left.
Director: Mitja Okorn | Stars: Jaden Smith, Cara Delevingne, Cuba Gooding Jr., Chris D'Elia
Votes: 10,702
44. The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (2022)
PG-13 | 105 min | Comedy, Drama
A.J. Fikry's wife has died, his bookstore is in trouble, and now his prized rare edition of Poe poems has been stolen. However, when a mysterious package appears, its arrival gives him the chance to start his life over and see things anew.
Director: Hans Canosa | Stars: Christina Hendricks, Lucy Hale, Kunal Nayyar, Scott Foley
Votes: 2,445
45. Mort in Sherman Oaks
Comedy | Completed
Follows Mort who discovers he has less than a year to live, and after his fiancé leaves him, he meets Kate in a dating service that matches people by their death dates, all while being stalked by a disturbed pimp.
Director: Daniel André | Stars: Lucy Hale, Dustin Milligan, Francesca Eastwood, Monica Potter
46. From Scratch (2022)
TV-MA | 53 min | Drama, Romance
An artist finds romance with a chef in Italy and embarks on a life-changing journey of love, loss, resilience and hope across cultures and continents.
Stars: Zoe Saldana, Eugenio Mastrandrea, Danielle Deadwyler, Judith Scott
Votes: 17,124
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