A Sun is probably one of the best films I've watched these last few months. I have never watched a Taiwanese film, and am in awe how this one was made. The cinematography was just *chefs kiss*. Also, how simple the script was but how the actors delivered flawlessly. A must watch!
48 Reviews
Feel something
n-31048-4610820 April 2020
One of the most overlooked movies of 2019/2020
ShawnMHe20 December 2020
A dense, provoking and heartbreaking story that unfolds through the dialogues and faces of the dedicated actors with a unique fluidity uncommon in western movies. Mong-hong Chung isn't afraid of ditching a typical pace of storytelling and has carefully structured his visual poem to gradually challenge your perception of life. The realism of the lives of the main characters is masterfully shrouded by a sense of surrealness which is both disconnecting and provoking to the audience. A viewing that will make sure to have you wonder for a long time after the credits roll. It's currently available on Netflix and it's well worth your time and it will abundantly reward a patient audience.
The Best Movie I've Seen in Ages
marshallfg1 January 2021
This is the story about a family with some issues that initially threaten to tear them apart but ultimately bring them together with a bond that's stronger than they'd ever had. At the center of it all is A-Ho, the youngest and least favored of two sons, the "black sheep", outcast and ne'er-do-well, and how he comes of age in spite of some really bad and life-altering decisions. The acting throughout is top-notch. The story is entirely credible and emotionally intense. Every scene in this over 2 hour movie held me captive and, at times, had me near tears. What a treat!
Real, painful, thought provoking story
bumberbee28 January 2020
Set in modern day Taipei, this story about a middle class family struggling to survive some bad decisions and predicaments.
Superbly acted and character building made family relationships so easily relatable.
Fantastic direction and somber tone.
Love it
Fantastic direction and somber tone.
Love it
Incredible
mulhollanddriveway19 March 2021
A poetic family drama, nice story to tell, some scenes are just too long and tedious
fciocca22 May 2021
Warning: Spoilers
"A Sun" follows a family that lives a series of dramatic events, that will tear her apart. Relationships will be destroyed and eventually repaired, the film take his time to develop interactions between different characters, sometimes even too much. Don't get me wrong: I like when a director focuses on a look or on an expression, but here there are an outrageous number of scenes that just hold the narration, without adding anything up. Actors are just decent, and except for the mother, no one is really able to convey powerful emotions during these long shots. The result is a movie that it is way too long, and I needed to split the vision in three different parts. Moreover, you wonder how is it even possible that one single family have all these dramas in a short range of time. First the younger son got a 15 years old girl pregnant, then ends up in jail because of a serious crime. The movie lost me when eldest one suicided. It felt random, and completely out of the blue. There was nothing suggesting an act like this and along the movie, motives were not specified, leaving me very perplexed.
There are great and emotionally powerful sequences, along with plot twists, good characters development and a well narrated story, which a truly enjoyed. It is definitely worth to be watched. I just think that we have another case of overglorified film, just because it comes from Asia, and apparently in the western world we tend to overacclaim their cinema, even if it is full of flaws.
There are great and emotionally powerful sequences, along with plot twists, good characters development and a well narrated story, which a truly enjoyed. It is definitely worth to be watched. I just think that we have another case of overglorified film, just because it comes from Asia, and apparently in the western world we tend to overacclaim their cinema, even if it is full of flaws.
Father and mother figure in East Asia
akio-aoki25 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
The narrative is quite straight and well written, having the rigorous Asian discipline in a family with two children in Taipé. However during the course of the film, you start to see the mother and father figure role, so different in many aspects in the west, and not often seen in feature films. Pay attention to the non-obvious father figure.
Shame and scandal in the family
rubenm22 February 2021
'Nothing is as fair as the sun, because throughout the year it gives each location on earth the exact same amount of sunlight.'
This is what student A-Wen tells his girlfriend, somewhere in the middle of the movie. The viewer can't help but relate this wisdom to the story he is watching. And the unavoidable conclusion is that, indeed, life is not as fair as the sun. There is quite a lot of unfairness in this story about a family falling apart. One unfortunate incident, shown in the very first scene, sets in motion a dramatic chain of events. Afterwards, what's left of the family will never be the same.
This is not a film in which a tight script explains every little detail. The focus is on the characters of the four family members: a troubled and agressive son, his kind and warm brother, the resentful and bitter father and the mother who just tries to cope with every new misfortune. Bit by bit, the viewer understands more about their characters and about the way they behave. This is a film with a lot to enjoy: meaningful dialogues, subtle acting and creative cinematograpy. But it is not an easy film to watch. It has a considerable length, and the story is only slowly moving forward. The important events are far apart. But once the movie is underway, it grips the viewer, and doesn't let go.
Awesome movie
emailbnatrajan27 November 2020
Very interesting story line with very simple dialogues with great impact. All the characters have done excellent job. Father is the real hero, followed by his second son. Each played their role with total commitment. There is no acting in this movie everyone just lived their role.
'Seize the day, decide your path'...
Xstal5 May 2020
As dry as a bottle of gin but not as much fun until Radish returns to spice things up. With a hefty run time this family drama from Taiwan hides behind the clouds too long before shining but does produce a ray or two before sunset.
For those who are in bad situations
detail-983572 July 2021
We don't usually live the way as the film shows, but life is more or less like it, sometimes with difficulities and sometimes with or without solutions. We try to weather through everything with our limited knowledge and ability. The result should not be perfect, but as we keep the courage to move on, things will definitely turn out better and we'll be growing stronger.
In Desperate Need Of An Editor
Neon_Gold16 February 2021
This was a a rollercoaster for me. It started off really good. I loved the opening shots mixed with the gorgeous score and then a shocking scene juxtaposing the score so well.
Then bit by bit i lost interest. It was just so long! The editing was terrible. So much could have been chop and left on the floor. The transitions weren't great. It was just poorly edited. Which is a shame. 2 and a half hours to tell this simple of a story is unnecessary. It should have been 1:30 or 1:40 max.
I do think the story could have used some polishing up. It seemed like it was like "And then this happened but don't think about it for too long because now this other thing is happening that is totally unrelated". It seemed unfocused.
I think it was shot beautifully and the lighting especially had this golden glow that just made every frame outside look incredible.
The acting was also up and down for me. Sometimes i was like "Oh wow" but then other times it seemed like people would drop character and they would just stand emotionless in the shot.
It had lots of potential but it just didn't quite fit with me.
Then bit by bit i lost interest. It was just so long! The editing was terrible. So much could have been chop and left on the floor. The transitions weren't great. It was just poorly edited. Which is a shame. 2 and a half hours to tell this simple of a story is unnecessary. It should have been 1:30 or 1:40 max.
I do think the story could have used some polishing up. It seemed like it was like "And then this happened but don't think about it for too long because now this other thing is happening that is totally unrelated". It seemed unfocused.
I think it was shot beautifully and the lighting especially had this golden glow that just made every frame outside look incredible.
The acting was also up and down for me. Sometimes i was like "Oh wow" but then other times it seemed like people would drop character and they would just stand emotionless in the shot.
It had lots of potential but it just didn't quite fit with me.
A story about honor, love, respect and forgiveness.
gersonazgo27 March 2021
'A Sun' focus on the dramatic events that take place in the life of the two sons of a middle class taiwanese family.
The elder son is a troubled adolescent that gets involved into crime and sent to a correctional facility - what is perceived as an unforgivable sin by his father - while the younger one is a popular student that is the pride of the house but can't seem to find happiness in this world.
As the story unfolds, we get to see the characters trying to improve themselves and fight their past mistakes in a road full of forgiveness and recognition towards each other. Being a western person, the strict family values - which are very different from what we have right now on the west - trigger a deep feeling of respect, even when not agreeing or understanding them at all.
Beautiful imagery and great acting give the finishing touch to this great movie.
9/10.
The elder son is a troubled adolescent that gets involved into crime and sent to a correctional facility - what is perceived as an unforgivable sin by his father - while the younger one is a popular student that is the pride of the house but can't seem to find happiness in this world.
As the story unfolds, we get to see the characters trying to improve themselves and fight their past mistakes in a road full of forgiveness and recognition towards each other. Being a western person, the strict family values - which are very different from what we have right now on the west - trigger a deep feeling of respect, even when not agreeing or understanding them at all.
Beautiful imagery and great acting give the finishing touch to this great movie.
9/10.
A gem
stephenstephenbyrne14 March 2021
Warning: Spoilers
Geez the emotions near the end of this, it hit me in a way I really didn't expect it to. The release of tension as A-ho sprints across the bridge is soooo wonderful, it could have ended right there and I would have been happy. I'm not sure we needed what happened to Radish explained in such detail after (I personally would have liked it left a bit more ambiguous or hinted at, I had my suspicions) but I do understand the choice. Overall a great movie and pretty unique in the way it balances aspects of crime and drama.
Ravishing family drama
gortx29 June 2021
Mong Hong-Chung's engrossing Taiwanese drama about a family whose very foundation is altered by a single act. While very little of the 156 minute run-time is visually violent, those brief moments are extremely impactful including a graphic one to open the movie (fair warning).
A SUN is not a crime film per se, it takes the form of an epic family melodrama. It's a very sharp looking picture too with Mong Hong-Chung doing the cinematography as well. The eclectic soundtrack reflects the histrionics well. The cast is solid with Yi-Wen Chen and Samantha Shu-Chin Ko as the parents and Chien-Ho Wu as their troubled son. Interspersed with the heavy theatrics and bursts of violence are a strain of offbeat satiric humor (much of it about the motivational phrase, "Seize the day"; and some thematic similarties to Bong Joon Ho's PARASITE) and even some bits of poetic filmmaking. It's a very theatrical soap opera, but, one that Mong Hong-Chung orchestrates powerfully.
A SUN is not a crime film per se, it takes the form of an epic family melodrama. It's a very sharp looking picture too with Mong Hong-Chung doing the cinematography as well. The eclectic soundtrack reflects the histrionics well. The cast is solid with Yi-Wen Chen and Samantha Shu-Chin Ko as the parents and Chien-Ho Wu as their troubled son. Interspersed with the heavy theatrics and bursts of violence are a strain of offbeat satiric humor (much of it about the motivational phrase, "Seize the day"; and some thematic similarties to Bong Joon Ho's PARASITE) and even some bits of poetic filmmaking. It's a very theatrical soap opera, but, one that Mong Hong-Chung orchestrates powerfully.
Good but long
DogePelis20155 July 2021
Riveting drama
joydipkumar26 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
The movie 'Sun' is a modern Taiwan drama which is highly riveting with strong screenplay, smart direction and brilliant acting. The mix of humour and grief goes hand in hand. Witty dialogue in a harrowing situation makes you smile as well as feel for the pain that the character is going through.
The film is based on the fact that the Sun burns himself to give it warmth. Here the sun is used as a metaphor to display the characters in the family. The use of shade and sun is used various times to show the good and bad times in the family. This is a story of 2 kids quite opposite in character, one who is academically brilliant and the other is in bad company. Both are being raised by their hard working parents. In the movie each character "burns like a Sun" or put themselves in line of hardship and discomfort to keep the family floating.
The movie started with a scene where an A' Ho son of Wen commits a crime and goes to jail. Father Wen, a driving instructor does not treat A' Ho as his son. On the other hand Hao is a medical student who is very nice and likes to help others. Father Wen pays all his tuition fees too. Till first half Wen believes he has only one son, till the moment Hao committed suicide. First half an hour, the characters was beautifully established and the pace of the movie at times gives a sense of purity to the characters and their sufferings. Second half became more intriguing as A' Ho, who was in the shade in the first half started burning himself for supporting the family. He was working 18 hours with 6 hours sleep. And that made his father realize that he still has one son with him. It was only in the second last scene where Wen tells his wife how he saved A' Ho by killing the bad company that was trying to spoil his son and made her realize that even though he is just a mere driving instructor yet he executed his saying "Seize the day. Decide your path"
The movie started with a scene where an A' Ho son of Wen commits a crime and goes to jail. Father Wen, a driving instructor does not treat A' Ho as his son. On the other hand Hao is a medical student who is very nice and likes to help others. Father Wen pays all his tuition fees too. Till first half Wen believes he has only one son, till the moment Hao committed suicide. First half an hour, the characters was beautifully established and the pace of the movie at times gives a sense of purity to the characters and their sufferings. Second half became more intriguing as A' Ho, who was in the shade in the first half started burning himself for supporting the family. He was working 18 hours with 6 hours sleep. And that made his father realize that he still has one son with him. It was only in the second last scene where Wen tells his wife how he saved A' Ho by killing the bad company that was trying to spoil his son and made her realize that even though he is just a mere driving instructor yet he executed his saying "Seize the day. Decide your path"
Natural acting
xiaohei-8011228 October 2020
The character they portray is too natural
that there is no sign of acting.it's seems u are watching a documentary.Ending is fatal punch to you where dad calmly telling his story. Nice written story merge with nice background music. Too bad the tempo is too slow,many unnessary scene that didn't go with the title movie (Sun). It's be better if director will make use different type of sunlight to a beautiful environment.
Not easy viewing but rewarding
msghall26 January 2020
Shining a light on the demanding, unforgiving side of Taiwanese life, director/writer Mong-Hong Chung weaves multiple layers of a family's tribulations while slowly pulling you in, even if you're not sure you want to.
Unremitting in its unsmiling grimness, this is not easy-going entertainment. Rather, it provides us with a glimpse into the souls of its characters, rarely dressing them up in the sentimentality and superficiality that permeate most films today. The payoff comes with just a smile or a warm gesture but those moments are too far between. Some wonderful animation, too. A nice touch is the convict son's name, - the humorously descriptive "A-Ho."
Unremitting in its unsmiling grimness, this is not easy-going entertainment. Rather, it provides us with a glimpse into the souls of its characters, rarely dressing them up in the sentimentality and superficiality that permeate most films today. The payoff comes with just a smile or a warm gesture but those moments are too far between. Some wonderful animation, too. A nice touch is the convict son's name, - the humorously descriptive "A-Ho."
A inspired film
aw-311911 March 2021
Tedious; waste of an evening
retiredERdoc18 May 2020
This movie needed serious editing. It's way too long. Despite its length, it's superficial-- it teases the viewer by hinting at developing relationships but fails miserably. The movie introduces new characters only to ignore their development.
The movie's director failed to exercise a strong hand in directing its story line.
Someone should have insisted on creating a movie which would grab the viewer instead of the viewer hoping it would finally end.Even a shorter version of this movie would be painful to watch. Frustrating to see these potential theme and characters so weakly developed. Don't waste an evening on this one.
Mature and impressive award-winning film.
AJ_McAninch27 January 2020
Extremely realistic
yiyanzhao-7907421 February 2020
Warning: Spoilers
With the setting in Taipei, the film blends the local culture into the family's predicament well. The academic pressure on the elder son of the family, the attempts to uphold dignity while facing the economic burden and the path of redemption of a young man with a criminal background are brought into the life of one family.
The dramatic effect and tension in the plot is well controlled. It is well acted without much exaggeration.
The scenes at the youth centre are outstanding. The rough living condition, as well as the character's mental and physical struggles are portrayed with details.
Great film but not very easy to watch due to the painful topic.
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