What is a movie that makes you sad?

What’s a challenge if we do not talk about the movie that makes us sad after the one that makes us happy?  Some might say a good one, but there is only one movie that without fail that always makes me cry.  Others come close, but nothing ever compares to My Girl.

Day 8: A movie that makes you sad – My Girl

Let me start by saying that I feel that My Girl is an outstanding coming of age story.  Granted it is a coming of age story that I do not think most of us have to deal with at such a young age and I’m thankful for that.  Most of the time the first so-called big death that we have to deal with is that of a much older person.  Typically this is one of our grandparents.  My Girl takes that notion and flips it on its head.  Vada Sultenfuss has been surrounded by death her whole life because her home doubles over as a funeral parlor.  Their basement is where the bodies are prepared before the funeral.  However, I imagine that being around other people’s deaths your whole life still does not prepare you when someone close to you passes away.  This hurts even worse when its someone that is taken before their time.

Now is the time I admit something that I have not admitted to most people.  I have an odd relationship with My Girl.  Without fail, ever since my papa passed away at the age of nine, this film has played exactly two days after the funeral of anyone who has ever meant something to me.  The worst was the time I watched it after one of my best friends passed away.  I bawled.  I remember crying and sitting between my mom’s legs in front of the recliner and she essentially pet me for hours to get me to calm down.  It turned into this waterfall of emotions because Thomas J was not wearing his glasses.  Earlier that week I was determined that my friend’s casket was wooden when in fact it was actually blue.  I do not know why that small detail made me lose it in the funeral home, but I did.  That small detail came back up the two days after his funeral and the movie came on again.

I remember sharing this with my friend Sarah after my mom passed.  I made her promise me that I would not watch the movie under any circumstances.  The truth is that whole time period for me is one major blur anyway though.  While I cannot say I watched the film two days later my friend did confirm for me that it aired.  She was irrationally angry enough for the two of us at the time.  I’ve checked two days after all other deaths to see it playing, but ignored watching the film again.  And lately instead of watching it all the way through I have to stop myself.  My Girl unleashes tears upon tears that makes me feel like I will contribute to flooding in the area if I continue to watch the film over and over again.  Is there a person who does not cry by the end of this film out there?

I’m sure the answer to that is yes.  Though part of me wants to believe they can only say that because they have never watched the film.  Over the years My Girl brings me more of a sorrow than I ever expected a film could.  Granted, I do not think it helps to be writing this on the day that the friend I talked about above has been gone from my life for fifteen years either.  In a lot of ways it’s odd that I find myself writing about this on this day.  I suppose that is oddly appropriate all the things considered.  I miss you, Chris.