27 Movies People Recommend Everyone See Once, But Are Also Too "Emotionally Traumatizing" To Ever Watch Again

Once was QUITE enough.

We all have that one movie that we absolutely LOVED when we first watched it but found way too sad, disturbing, and/or just plain weird to ever watch again.

Warner Bros. Pictures

Well, this week, redditor u/uakambie asked, "What movie is so good you'd recommend it to all your friends, but so emotionally traumatic that you'll never watch it again?" and all of their responses were 100% right.

Warner Bros. Pictures

So, with that in mind, here are just a handful of the movies that people would recommend you see at least once, but could never watch again themselves:

1. Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

Warner Bros. Pictures

"I thought I was going in to see a cool fantasy flick. Instead, it turned out to be a movie dealing with trauma, abuse, and coping mechanisms. It's still a great film, but so gut-wrenching."

—u/JDazzleGM

2. Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Studio Ghibli

"I'm never, EVER, going to watch that shit again. It's from Studio Ghibli, the same company who did Spirited Away. It's an absolute masterpiece, for sure, but don't expect to find happy little creatures in it."

—u/V02D

3. Moonlight (2016)

A24

"It was so realistic to my life that it made me uncomfortable."

—u/Cold_Dishwater

4. The Pianist (2002)

Focus Features

"I can't bring myself to watch it again. The anger and hopelessness I felt for that man and those people is beyond comparison."

—u/VibinWithDoggo

5. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

Warner Bros. Pictures

"I watched the very first bit of it when I was in officer training and thought it was a comedy. A few months later, I sat down and watched the whole thing...it's not a comedy."

—u/Titanomicon

6. Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

MGM/UA Distribution Co.

"Nicolas Cage is amazing in it (he won an Oscar for it), but, as a recovered alcoholic, that film hit WAY too close to home. Good film, though."

—u/Kryodamus

7. We Need to Talk About Kevin (2011)

Oscilloscope Laboratories

"That was a truly visceral experience."

—u/crackosaurusrex

8. Requiem for a Dream (2000)

Artisan Entertainment

"That ending montage made me physically ill. It's the only movie that's ever done that to me."

—u/huazzy

9. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father (2008)

MSNBC Films

"Hands down."

—u/swanyMcswan

10. Nocturnal Animals (2016)

Focus Features

"It's a good movie, but I can't watch it again because of that highway scene."

—u/JohnnyJayce

11. What Dreams May Come (1998)

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

"It's the most beautiful movie, and I think everyone should watch it at least once, but I haven't been able to bring myself to watch it since Robin Williams died. I actually haven't watched anything he's in since he died."

—u/Leather_Mango

12. Dancer in the Dark (2000)

Fine Line Features

"It has an amazing performance by Björk, and it's brutally sad. I bought a copy of the DVD after seeing the movie because I loved it so much. I lent the disc to several friends and thought about it many times, but could just never summon the energy to watch it again myself."

—u/Trump_Card_Played

13. Nightcrawler (2014)

Open Road Films

"It's an incredible movie, but I'll never watch it again. Jake Gyllenhaal plays a sociopath a little too well; so much so that I struggle to watch him in other things now."

—u/lowerrr

14. Manchester by the Sea (2016)

Amazon Studios

"All day."

—u/voe600

15. The Road (2009)

Dimension Films

"I watched it when it first came out and loved it, but I can’t put myself through it again. It’s so heartbreaking."

—u/Chemical_Robot

16. Midsommar (2019)

A24

"I got really invested in it when I was watching it for the first time, and I've had a fear of cults since I was a kid. I don't find the film scary at all, but, by the end of it, I was just completely frozen."

—u/killtoryscum

17. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

Sony Pictures Releasing

"That scene where they're sleeping in the bathroom was hard."

—u/edgarpickle

18. Melancholia (2011)

Zentropa

"It's really disturbing. I don't think I've ever really gotten over it."

—u/haliella

19. Jojo Rabbit (2019)

Fox Searchlight Pictures

"It made me cry, and that's VERY rare for me."

—u/ComfortableSea4645

20. Dead Poets Society (1989)

Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

"It hit me HARD, mate!"

—u/DarkSorceress_007

21. Beasts of the Southern Wild (2012)

Fox Searchlight Pictures

"It's one of the best movies I have ever seen, but leaves you with a lot of phantoms."

—u/littleliongirless

22. Steel Magnolias (1989)

TriStar Pictures

"Especially now that I have kids. I can't even think about Sally Field's breakdown without tearing up."

—u/evelynnross

23. Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Focus Features

"It was such a beautiful film, so very emotional — it just broke me. I watched it once in the movie theater and then never again."

—u/makikoigami

24. A Clockwork Orange (1971)

Warner Bros. Pictures

"It's very well made. Almost everything about that movie is incredible, but it’s so emotionally intense and has such a graphic subject matter that I’ll never watch it again. It’s one of those movies you see because it’s great, but, once you’ve seen it, you’re like, 'Okay, cool. Mark that one off the list,' and never touch it again."

—u/SomeGuyinaHood1e

25. Sorry to Bother You (2018)

Focus Features

"There are no words to describe that movie."

—u/TheEliteB3aver

26. The Game (1997)

PolyGram Films

"I loved it, but I also wanted to shoot everyone at the end."

—u/1-LegInDaGrave

27. And finally: Promising Young Woman (2020)

Focus Features

"I just watched this two days ago and still can't get over it. I highly, highly recommend it, but I don't think I can watch it again."

—u/LeoFoster18

Now it's your turn! What's a movie that's so good, you'd recommend that everyone watch it once, but you couldn't ever personally bring yourself to watch it again? Share your pick in the comments below!

NOTE: Some responses were edited for length and/or clarity. H/T: Reddit.