The perspective in the film is like a third party, showing a piece of Taiwan's tragic history with a calm and gentle eye. The sense of poetry and powerlessness of the camera lens is very strong. Chen Songyong's performance is so wonderful that the male No. 2 Tony Leung is somewhat overshadowed in this film, and Xin Shufen's image is also deeply rooted in the hearts of the people. I think this film is the pinnacle of Hou Hsiao-hsien's work. He is like a poet outside the city. He always uses his light brushstrokes to describe the ups and downs for us. Many nationalists today still look down on our compatriots and our land with lofty eyes and attitudes, Taiwan - it shouldn't be, it has gone through too much.
View more about A City of Sadness reviews
