"A City of Sadness" is based on the "law of nature" and the phenomenon of intellectuals, describing "the activities of people under the law of nature".
"A City of Sadness" takes advantage of Taiwan's "February 28 Incident" to sway the rise and fall of a large local family into a Taiwanese epic in which times change and personal destiny are closely intertwined. In the multi-line narrative and the network of many character relationships, the whole film tells history without being arrogant and violent.
"A City of Sadness", which describes the "February 28" uprising in Taiwan, reflects the evolution of history through the rise and fall of a family. The big family finally fell apart, wives were separated, and the family was broken. And the love between Lin Wenqing and Kuan Mei has also become a tragedy in this era.
"A City of Sadness" describes the early days of the Nationalist government governing Taiwan. With the story of the rise and fall of a Keelung Lin family, it outlines the unavoidable ethnic conflicts and identity issues in the process of changing times and regime rotation. The film has the courage to break through the taboos, and boldly touches the sensitive "228" issue when the law is lifted, creating a new page for Taiwanese film with a grand historical pattern.
