Why The Tears We Cry For Movies Are Important
Do you cry during some movies? You aren’t alone. Some cry to many. While others cry to few. I fall in the middle of this field.
I admit, I’ve cried to several movies. Some were the usual tearjerkers such as A Walk to Remember, Forever Young, The Fault in Our Stars, and, Up. But who hasn’t cried to Up? This list could go on.
But some caught me by surprise. Such as The Last Full Measure, The Lion King, Spiderman 3, Ipman 4, and Cast Away. Don’t hate me, I loved that volleyball…
But if you think about it, your tears just might give you clues about what motivates you.
Motivated to Cry.
When a scene or plot brings on the waterworks it’s because something in us reacts to what is playing out on the screen. Not an exhaustive list, but here are four examples.
- A memory
- A relatable struggle
- A relatable love language (From Gary Chapman’s book The Five Love Languages)
- A core motivation
The next time you cry during a movie, enjoy the experience. But afterward, ask yourself why you cried. If your answer doesn’t fall in the first 3, then you may have discovered a core motivation of yours.
I’ll give you some examples.
When I cried to Ipman 4, it came after a long build-up between Master Ip and his son. I won’t spoil the movie for you. I related to Master Ip since I am a parent and also have feelings of inadequacy when it comes to parenting.
In Cast Away, the main character developed a strong connection to a volleyball while stranded on an island. Seems odd, you have to watch to understand. During one scene he loses his only “friend” he had for several years. Since quality time is one of my two love languages, losing his friend after all that time stirred my heart.
In Forever Young, Mel Gibson’s character became separated from the woman he loved. After a full life, they are reunited near the end of their lives. My sprinkler system worked overtime on this one because of the lost years.
Sometimes a movie touches a core motivation. In The Last Full Measure, one man from a good home gave up his comfort to enlist in the military during the Vietnam War. The movie jumps around the timeline a bit, but the story is about him sacrificing himself to help others and how those he helped reacted to his heroism years later.
This story moved me because one of my core motivations is helping and serving others. To see a wonderful example of what it means to wholeheartedly serve was powerful to me.
What makes you cry?
Sacrifice? Good leadership? Injustice? Seeing suffering? Generosity? The list goes on. If you take some time after you cry, you might find out what truly motivates you.
Who knows, it might lead you to do what you love.
