The Peter Parker Cry meme features a close-up of actor Tobey Maguire's emotional face during a scene from the 2007 film Spider-Man 3. While the moment was intended to be dramatic, internet users repurposed the distorted facial expression to represent exaggerated sadness or 'ugly crying' in humorous contexts. Often paired with captions about minor inconveniences or ironic heartbreak, this meme became a staple of the 'Sad Peter Parker' subgenre. Its longevity is attributed to Maguire's raw performance and the relatable, yet visually comical, nature of the shot.