One of the highest-grossing actors of all time, Tom Hanks is also one of those Hollywood stars who has made us laugh, cry, and feel just about every other emotion in the book over the past 40-plus years. In that time, the Academy Award-winning actor has played emotionally charged roles in movies like Forrest Gump, Philadelphia, The Green Mile, and a couple of the best romantic comedies of all time.
That said, let’s break down 32 times a Tom Hanks character ripped our hearts out in a movie. Grab the tissues…
Turner Crying Over Hooch’s Body (Turner & Hooch)
You won’t find Turner & Hooch on the list of movies where the dog lives, but you will find it among Tom Hanks’ most emotional movies. This all-time great buddy cop movie features one of the saddest scenes in the actor’s career, specifically where Turner cries over Hooch’s body after his canine partner crosses the rainbow bridge in the final act.
Sam Baldwin Talks About His Late Wife (Sleepless In Seattle)
There’s a pivotal scene early in Sleepless in Seattle in which Tom Hanks’ Sam Baldwin opens his heart to millions of listeners around the country when telling Dr. Marcia Fieldstone about his late wife. The beautiful moment made Meg Ryan’s Annie Reed fall in love with him, and so did we.
Forrest Visits Jenny’s Grave (Forrest Gump)
Forrest Gump visiting Jenny’s grave in the final moments of the eponymous 1994 movie will never not be heartbreaking. It’s one of the few scenes where Tom Hanks’ iconic character lets it all out and opens up to the woman who meant more to him than anything else on the planet.
Joe’s Moonrise Monologue (Joe Versus The Volcano)
Joe Versus the Volcano might not be the first movie that comes to mind when you think of emotional Tom Hanks moments, but there’s a scene in this 1990 comedy where the character, floating aimlessly in the ocean, gives a touching monologue to a rising moon.
Captain Miller’s ‘That’s My Mission’ Speech (Saving Private Ryan)
One of the best World War II movies ever made, Saving Private Ryan has one iconic moment after another. One that strikes a chord better than most is the scene in which Tom Hanks’ Captain Miller gives his “That’s my mission” speech when talking about why his detachment of soldiers is risking life and limb to bring a then-unknown soldier back home.
Andrew Passes Away (Philadelphia)
With his portrayal of Andrew Beckett in Philadelphia, Tom Hanks entered the next, and most successful stage of his career. One of the scenes that showed the world that Hanks had “it” was the one where his character succumbs to AIDS in the final moments of this landmark movie. The peace, the acceptance, and that final smile bring the waterworks.
Walt Disney Talks About Forgiveness (Saving Mr. Banks)
Saving Mr. Banks is a triumphant film anchored by outstanding performances from Tom Hanks as Walt Disney and Emma Thompson as P.L. Travers. And no scene best represents their relationship, and Hanks’ commitment to the role is no better than the sequence in which Disney touches on the importance of forgiveness in the form of a story about him and his father back home.
Paul Edgecomb Executes John Coffey (The Green Mile)
One of the best Stephen King adaptations, The Green Mile provided for a number of powerful and emotional scenes, but the sequence involving Tom Hanks’ Paul Edgecomb that is particularly charged is the one in which John Coffey (Micahel Clarke Duncan) is executed. Just keep your eyes on Paul’s face the next time you watch it.
‘I’m Sorry, Betty’ (A League Of Their Own)
Jimmy Dugan is one of the most interesting of Tom Hanks’ great characters, mostly because he’s such a complex individual. One minute he’s yelling about there being no crying in baseball and the next he’s giving one of his players a letter stating that her husband has died in World War II.
Michael Sullivan’s Death (Road To Perdition)
Road to Perdition is a Tom Hanks movie that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough, which is a shame because it features some of his best work. One scene that will never be forgotten is the one in which his character, Michael Sullivan, is shot and killed watching his son play on the beach.
Josh Barricading Himself In A Hotel Room (Big)
Is there anything more heartbreaking than watching Josh Baskin (Tom Hanks) barricading himself in a run-down New York hotel room during his first night as an adult? In that moment, you remember that this isn’t a man, but a child trapped in a man’s body.
Woody And Buzz Say Goodbye (Toy Story 4)
Though they had plenty of ups and downs throughout their various journeys together, Woody (Tom Hanks) and Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) were the best of friends. This is what makes the final moments of Toy Story 4, where they take separate paths, so upsetting. It’s impossible to watch this with dry eyes.
Otto Tells Sonya’s Story (A Man Called Otto)
Definitely Tom Hanks’ crankiest character, Otto Anderson is also one of the actor’s most tragic roles. Partway through A Man Called Otto, you find out why Otto is such a grump when he tells the tragic story of losing his unborn child in a wreck that left his wife a paraplegic for the rest of her life.
‘Bubba Was My Best Good Friend…’ (Forrest Gump)
The words “Bubba was my best good friend” don’t just rip out your heart, they smash it into a million little pieces. Forrest Gump talking about the death of his best friend in Vietnam is incredibly heartbreaking and one of the most devastating scenes of the ‘90s.
Wilson Goes Missing (Castaway)
Chuck Noland (Tom Hanks) spends the better part of four years stranded on an island with nothing besides a volleyball named Wilson (after the sports equipment brand) for company. But that friendship comes to a sudden and tragic end when Chuck attempts to escape in Cast Away, a daring mission that results in his best friend floating away in the Pacific.
The Opera Scene (Philadelphia)
Andrew Beckett's introduction of Joe Miller (Denzel Washington) to “La Mamma Morta” in Philadelphia has to be one of the most intense, emotional, and beautiful sequences in the entire movie, and it is iconic for all kinds of reasons. The drama, rawness, and beauty of it all is incredibly powerful, to say the least.
Captain Miller’s Death (Saving Private Ryan)
There have been a great number of movie deaths that have broken our hearts, and Captain Miller’s from Saving Private Ryan is right up there. The way Tom Hanks’ character tells Matt Damon to “earn this” while taking in his final breath is astounding all these years later.
Jim Lovell Talking About Going To The Moon (Apollo 13)
Though the scene seems hopeful and innocent enough, watching Jim Lovell (Tom Hanks) talk about going to the moon knowing what’s going to happen later on in Apollo 13 is straight-up heartbreaking. He has no idea that his dream will never come true.
‘I Don’t Think You Were Broken’ (A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood)
Near the end of A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, there is a touching interaction between Fred Rogers (Tom Hanks) and Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) in which the TV presenter tells the reporter that he never thought he was “broken.” It feels like Mr. Rogers is telling the troubled writer that we’re okay just the way we are in the most reassuring of ways.
The Incinerator Scene (Toy Story 3)
Holy moly, the garbage incinerator scene in Toy Story 3 is a tour de force and one of the most emotional sequences in any Pixar movie. The way the toys, led by Woody, come together and accept their fate when staring death in the eyes is remarkable but also incredibly emotional.
Josh Calls His Mom (Big)
The bond shared by Josh Baskin and his mom, played by Mercedes Ruehl, is the heart and soul of Big. One of the examples of this connection takes place when Josh calls his mom from his phone at work just to hear her voice and say that he’s okay. The raw emotion in their voices is touching, to say the least.
‘I’m Glad It’s You’ (Road To Perdition)
Michael Sullivan reluctantly killing his boss and mentor, John Rooney (Paul Newman) is one of the most unforgettable scenes in Road to Perdition. Neither wanted things to end like this, but the soon-to-be-dead mob boss takes some solace in knowing that the man he treated like a son was the one to do the job.
‘The Hard Is What Makes It Great’ (A League Of Their Own)
The bond shared by Jimmy Dugan and Dottie Hinson is honestly one of the best things about A League of Their Own, and it’s made all the better thanks to the on-screen chemistry shared by Tom Hanks and Geena Davis. One of the best scenes featuring the two comes when Jimmy tries to convince Dottie to stay with the team, stating, “The hard is what makes it great.”
Singing On The Subway (A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood)
One of the best scenes in A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood mostly sees Tom Hanks’ character as a bystander, but it was too great to leave off. Basically, when Mr. Rogers and Lloyd Vogel are having a conversation on the subway, they are interrupted by a group of teenagers who start singing the TV presenter’s signature song. It’s so emotional, so mesmerizing, and so unforgettable.
Finch Teaches Jeff How To Play Fetch (Finch)
Throughout Finch, Tom Hanks’ titular character knows that his time on the planet is limited at best, but things really take a turn in the final act of the film. That’s when Finch teaches Jeff, his trusty robot, Jeff (Caleb Landry Jones) to take care of his dog, Goodyear. It’s a simple yet effective scene, which makes it all the more triumphant.
Forrest Gump Meets His Son (Forrest Gump)
It will never get hold watching Tom Hanks’ character meet his young song (played by Haley Joel Osment) in the final act of Forrest Gump. In that moment, his life changes forever and he’s given a new purpose in life, even if it does lead to Jenny’s tragic death shortly after.
Chuck And Kelly’s Reunion (Cast Away)
Chuck Noland and Kelly Frears (Helen Hunt) were meant to spend the rest of their lives together, but fate had other plans when the former crash-landed on a planet deep in the Pacific Ocean, and that latter, like everyone else, thought he was dead. This is what makes their reunion so heartbreaking. Though they love one another after all these years, life has moved on.
The Library Scene (Philadelphia)
Andrew and Joe’s heartfelt and informative conversation in the library is one of the most remarkable scenes in all of Philadelphia and does a great job of setting up the rest of the movie. The dying former attorney sewing his former partners for discrimination is heartbreaking, but the bond forged by the two legal minds in this moment is outstanding.
Woody Writes Andy A Note (Toy Story 3)
Woody writing down Bonnie’s address so that Andy would take the toys to a new home in Toy Story 3 is enough to make you cry big, ugly tears. Accepting the fact that Andy is about to go off to college and that things will never be the same again is a great choice by the trusty sheriff, but still a tear-jerker.
Captain Phillips’ Rescue (Captain Phillips)
Near the end of Captain Phillips, Tom Hanks’ titular character is rescued in one of the most daring scenes of the past decade-and-a-half, only to break down into an emotional wreck moments later. Watching the adrenaline and shock fade away into the realization that he was so close to death is remarkable.
‘I’m Going Home’ (The Terminal)
Throughout The Terminal, Viktor Navorski (Tom Hanks) wants nothing more than to get out of JFK International Airport in New York City, and he finally gets that wish in the final moments of this 2004 Steven Spielberg film. All that build-up leads to a fulfilling and emotional scene.
‘Don’t Cry, Shopgirl’ (You’ve Got Mail)
One of the best Tom Hanks rom-com quotes, “Don’t cry, shopgirl” is one of those lines that will probably never be forgotten. Even though it’s the start of Joe Fox’s relationship with Kathleen Kelly (Meg Ryan), it’s hard to not get emotional about the iconic remark.
