The film is based on the novel of the same name by Milan Kundera. In 1968, Prague surgeon Thomas (Daniel Day-Lewis) lives in the pleasure of chasing women, enjoying the pleasure of sex. Painter Sabina (Lena Olin) is Thomas's confidante, but during a visit to a spa sanatorium, Thomas befriends the hostess Theresa (Juliette Binoche). Soon there, Teresa came to Prague alone, and the two got married. After Thomas's marriage, he still did not change his bad habit of cheating with Sabina or other women, and Teresa could not stand Thomas's infidelity and ran away late at night, only to encounter an armed Soviet invasion of the Czech Republic. The three fled to Geneva, Switzerland, where Sabina met Franz (Derek de Lint), a professor at the local university, and Teresa lost her job and was depressed all day long, and returned to Prague alone with her dog Karenin. Between freedom and bondage, how did Thomas choose?　　The film was one of the top 10 films in the United States in 1988, nominated for Best Cinematography and Best Adapted Screenplay at the 1989 Academy Awards, nominated for Best Feature Film and Best Supporting Actress (Lena Orin) at the Golden Globes, and won the British Film and Television Association Award for Best Adapted Screenplay, and the American Film Critics Association Award for Best Director and Best Picture.