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A highly anticipated return to fiction feature filmmaking from Wim Wenders (Paris, Texas, Wings of Desire), Perfect Days takes the writer-director to Tokyo to tell a story celebrating the hidden joys and minutiae of Japanese culture. Winner of the Best Actor award at Cannes 2023, Koji Yakusho (13 Assassins) stars as Hirayama, a contemplative middle-aged man who lives a life of modesty and serenity, spending his days balancing his job as a dutiful caretaker of Tokyo’s numerous public toilets with his passion for music, literature and photography. As we join him on his structured daily routine, a series of unexpected encounters gradually begin to reveal a hidden past that lies behind his otherwise content and harmonious life.
Combining a refreshingly unstereotypical depiction of the Japanese capital with a soundtrack comprised of iconic hits from the 60s and 80s, this is a subtle, shimmering and ultimately life-affirming reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us. Nominated for the Best International Film award at the 96th Academy Awards.
The Garden Cinema View:
Perfect Days follows Hirayama, a janitor who finds contentment in cleaning toilets, dining in solitude, and reading and listening to music. Though perhaps tedious on paper, under Wenders' skilled direction, Hirayama's everyday practice becomes a philosophical treatise on the value of manual labour and mindfulness. Notably, Hirayama’s mindful lifestyle is not aided by a typically serene environment, but within the gritty backdrop of a bustling metropolis.
Koji Yakusho gives an incredible performance of an introverted man living a simple life, yet his face reveals intelligence, and hints at past pain. His wisdom is clearly hard-earned.
The rhythms of Perfect Days are unhurried, focusing on routines, rituals, and repetitions. This pacing never frustrates, but rather provides a meditative viewing experience that mirrors Hirayama's own serene state.
Cast:
Koji Yakusho, Arisa Nakano, Aoi Yamada, Tokio Emoto