The story centers on a romantic pursuit between a female socialite and a male gourmet. There are no queer narratives or non-cisnormative identities present in the plot.

The female protagonist disrupts traditional passivity through her high agency and economic power. She negotiates romantic interests using her own terms of desire and consumption.

The film features a predominantly Chinese cast within a period-accurate depiction of 1930s Shanghai. It presents the era's elite without utilizing race-bending casting.

The narrative explores the intersection of consumerism and romantic desire. It avoids singular religious morality, focusing instead on the chaotic nature of human emotion.

Themes of body image and weight are addressed through physical self-perception. However, the film does not center neurodivergence or visible disabilities as sources of agency.