'Right person wrong time' movies and shows to watch when you need a good cry.

Sometimes you need a good sob. Not the ugly, messy kind that comes from real-life heartbreak, but the cathartic, planned cry that leaves you feeling oddly refreshed. It's the kind of emotional release that feels almost therapeutic.

Enter the 'right person, wrong time' genre: those beautifully devastating stories about people who are perfect for each other but can't make it work due to circumstances, timing, or life getting in the way.

Watch the trailer for Normal People. Article continues after video.

These films and shows are emotional masterpieces designed to wreck you in, but in the most satisfying way possible.

Past Lives.

Image: A24

This debut feature from writer/director Celine Song got rave reviews for good reason. Following Nora and Hae Sung, two childhood friends separated when Nora's family emigrates from South Korea to Canada, the film unfolds in 12-year intervals as they reconnect at different life stages.

What makes this story especially gut-wrenching is the way it explores the tension between the person you've become versus the person you could have been. Nora is literally a different person when she speaks Korean compared to English, and her now-partner recognises that there's this part of her that he'll never fully access.

It's a clever exploration of immigration and the lives we leave behind, and it will have you thinking about it long after the credits roll.

You can stream Past Lives on Netflix.

Normal People.

Image: Stan

The BBC adaptation of Sally Rooney's novel is peak 'right person, wrong time' content, brought to life by everyone's real-life favourite 'right people wrong time' couple, Daisy Edgar-Jones and Paul Mescal. Connell and Marianne's relationship spans years, and their connection remains constant even as their circumstances continue to pull them apart.

Normal People is the kind of show that makes you want to scream at your screen, because if they could just communicate properly, everything would be fine. The chemistry between Edgar-Jones and Mescal only adds to the beautiful heartbreak of it all, as you watch these two people who clearly belong together never quite get the timing right.

You can stream Normal People on Stan.

La La Land.

Image: Summit Entertainment

Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone's characters are dreamers who fall in love while pursuing their ambitions in Los Angeles. The film explores the tension between love and ambition, delivering an emotionally complex conclusion that will stay with you long afterwards.

It's a masterclass in bittersweet storytelling.

You can stream La La Land on Stan.

Before Sunrise.

Image: Warner Bros.

Richard Linklater's romantic drama follows two strangers who meet on a train and spend one perfect night walking around Vienna. The entire film is built on the premise that this connection is fleeting — they have hours, not a lifetime.

The sequels Before Sunset and Before Midnight continue their story, but that first film captures the magic and melancholy of a moment that can't last.

You can buy or rent Before Sunrise on Prime Video.

The Notebook.

Image: New Line Cinema

The ultimate tearjerker. Noah and Allie are young lovers who get swept up in a passionate romance, only to be torn apart by class differences and family disapproval. Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling's chemistry is undeniable, which makes their separation all the more heartbreaking.

Years later, they find each other again, but life has moved on, and the film's framing device — an elderly man reading their story to a woman with dementia — adds another devastating layer to the "wrong time" theme.

You can stream The Notebook on Stan.

Brokeback Mountain.

Image: Focus Features

Ang Lee's groundbreaking film follows Ennis and Jack, two cowboys who fall in love during a summer job herding sheep in 1963. Their relationship spans decades, but societal expectations and internalised shame keep them apart.

Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal deliver powerhouse performances in this story about love that can't exist openly. The film's exploration of how external circumstances can destroy even the deepest connections is absolutely devastating.

You can buy or rent Brokeback Mountain on Prime Video.

Carol.

Image: StudioCanal UK

Set in 1950s New York, this Todd Haynes film tells the story of Carol, an elegant woman going through a divorce, and Therese, a young department store clerk and aspiring photographer. Their attraction is immediate and intense, but the era's attitudes towards same-sex relationships, as well as Carol's custody battle with her ex-husband, make their love dangerous.

Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara's performances are exquisite, and the film's gorgeous cinematography makes their romance even more poignant.

You can stream Carol on Binge.

The Time Traveler's Wife.

Image: Warner Bros.

Whether you choose the book, the 2009 film, or the recent TV adaptation, this story of Henry and Clare's love affair complicated by Henry's involuntary time travel is guaranteed to destroy you emotionally.

Their relationship is literally defined by wrong timing — he keeps disappearing at crucial moments, and she's left waiting.

You can stream 2009's The Time Traveler's Wife on Prime Video.

One Day.

Image: Netflix

Following Emma and Dexter as they meet on the same day each year, this story spans two decades of near-misses and what-ifs.

Through annual snapshots of their lives, we witness how two people can orbit each other through different phases — sometimes close, sometimes distant, but always connected.

Fair warning though — whether you watch the 2024 Netflix adaptation or the 2011 movie — this is an emotionally intense watch that explores love, loss, and the paths we choose in life.

You can stream One Day on Netflix.

Feature Image: A24 / Stan.