Netflix viewers can't sit through first few minutes of 'heartbreaking' documentary without crying

Netflix has dropped their latest tear-jerking documentary and viewers are opening up about how emotionally affected they have been.

The streaming platform's latest documentary centres on a daddy-daughter dance scheme in the US, and follows the lives of four girls who are soon to be reunited with their incarcerated fathers.

The Netflix documentary has left viewers in tears (Netflix)

Co-directed by Natalie Rae and Angela Patton, Daughters won big at the Sundance film festival - and it's immediately clear why.

In the film, we meet Aubrey, Santana, Raziah and Ja’Ana - girls of different ages who have wildly different feelings towards their relationships with their dads and the upcoming dance - which will take place in a Washington DC prison.

The men preparing to see their daughters undergo sessions with a 'father life coach' in order to prepare them for the emotional journey that is poised to unfold.

You can watch the trailer here:

While Daughters is a necessary and urgent watch, exploring family ties, loss and coming-of-age, it has proven tough for viewers to hold back the tears.

The impact of growing up without a present father figure is given centre stage, and while it's emotional, it's impossible to look away.

Patton said of her documentary to Tudum: "I would recommend you have a candle, tissues, water and that you just breathe.

"Take breaks if you have to, but we do want you to finish it and then I want you to share it with someone else."

And it seems that viewers are in agreement and took to social media to share their reactions.

The daddy-daughter dance takes place in a Washington DC prison between inmates and their daughters (Netflix)

One user said: "I’m not even five minutes into the Netflix documentary Daughters and I’m crying so hard I can’t breathe."

Another said: "All I can say is abolish prisons and find other solutions for penance because this should not be. So heartwarming and heartbreaking."

A third added: "You expect a film about a father/daughter dance for men behind bars to be moving, but this offers more than you will be expecting, a whole lot more. Not to be missed."

And a fourth wrote: "Omg this scene in daughters on Netflix where that man is being taught by another how to tie his tie for the daddy daughter dance," followed by three crying emojis.

Critics have also responded positively to Daughters as the film has a perfect critic's score of 100 percent on aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes.

Critics and audience members alike are loving the film (Netflix)

John Serba reflected on the statistics brought to the forefront for Decider: "It’s hard to argue with Daughters’ message – it concludes with a title card stating that 95 percent of incarcerated men who participate in the father-daughter dance don’t return to prison again."

While journalist Wendy Ide wrote for The Guardian: "I found myself choking up barely a minute into this heartfelt documentary."

And Digital Spy's Janet Leigh said that viewers will 'shed watching this tender documentary about Black fathers reconnecting with their daughters – because that's what it's truly about'.

Daughters is now streaming on Netflix.