Best Films to Comfort Someone in Mourning

Acclaimed Films That Captured the Conflict of Grief

Families visiting Orlando funeral homes are often in search of resources and support for coping with a loss. Many critically acclaimed movies exist that provide exactly that sort of cathartic solace. Speak to the director of your preferred funeral home in Orlando for suggestions of other helpful films that bring comfort in times of need. 

The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012)

Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton play a couple coping with infertility. In the garden, they bury a box filled with dreams of their desired child, and to their surprise, young Timothy appears. What follows is a fantastical tale of the couple experiences the exploration and excitement of new parenthood, but there is a haunted foreboding throughout the story. Almost as quickly as he appears, Timothy is gone and the couple is left to bear with the sudden loss of a child. The story is a magical allegory full of heartwarming moments and a final promising message of hope.    

Bridge to Terabithia (2007)

Child actors, Josh Hutcherson and AnnaSophia Robb, both won Academy Awards for their performance in this movie based on the book by Katherine Paterson. In it, a young boy befriends an imaginative little girl, and together they invent an enchanting escape of magic and adventure. With the support of his new friend, the main character begins to grow more confident and positive, but an unexpected accident ends their friendship suddenly. This film accurately portrays a young child coping with denial, anger, and guilt over the loss of his best friend, eventually working through the entire grieving process for a happier, bittersweet end.   

Steel Magnolias (1989)

Based on the all-female play by Robert Harling, Steel Magnolias is a popular Southern classic featuring a collection of women in a small Louisiana town, and the timeless message is well recognized in every funeral home in Orlando. One character must deal with the illness and eventual death of her grown daughter, depending on the support of her friends and neighbors to carry her through the heartbreak of such a loss. An all star cast delivers a stunning performance that portrays not only the trials of long term illness and death but the strength and love of a caring family. 

Big Fish (2003)

Tim Burton’s star studded fantastical film takes the audience through a mesmerizing tale that blends myth and reality into an amazing and meaningful story. A father and son are able to finally connect after years of estrangement, as the son learns just in time the significance and value of his father are often heavily embellished life story.

Proof (2005)

Writer, David Auburn, adapts his touching drama to the screen in a story that vividly portrays the struggle of adults caring for a dying parent, a circumstance commonly seen in Orlando funeral homes. Anthony Hopkins plays a once-brilliant mathematician who succumbs to severe dementia as a daughter, Gwyneth Paltrow, struggles to cope with both his failing mind and the disaster of his death.

The Giver (2014)

While this story, based on the book by Lois Lowry, does not deal explicitly with death, it does face the difficult question of why we must cope with pain and suffering in the world. The characters exist in a utopia where all conflict and unhappiness is hidden, but at a cost that deprives people of their humanity. The final message is a clear statement that our emotions are an important part of who we are and all grief is valuable.