I wanted to enjoy this movie a lot more than I eventually did. It has a beautiful score and a very gentle style of filmmaking. With limited dialogue, we follow our main character across his daily routine, seeing the subtle shifts in his emotions based on limited interactions with other characters. Conceptually, it is a very subdued approach with a potential to pack an emotional punch. In execution though, I found myself getting detached from the events at numerous points. Make no mistake, there are specific scenes where I was fully engaged, especially when it felt like we were going to get more about our protagonist's history. However, Wim Wenders often pulled back before actually giving us something substantial, instead leaving a lot to the viewer's imagination. Because of it, the movie feels like it could be brimming with depth, but to be honest, it never really gives us evidence of that depth. The characters are kept at an arm's distance, and this prevents the type of emotional connection and resonance that I prefer with movies. It also means that the ending feels abrupt because a lot of the side characters who have come in and out of the movie never really have their arcs resolved. I was impressed with the acting though, since all the communication happens through Koji Yakusho's face due to the limited dialogue.
That final scene... wow. What a performance.
Next time is Next Time. Now is Now.
I didn’t want to leave my apartment this afternoon. I had the day off, and I’d spent most of it wasting away in my bed and on my couch, reveling in the nothingness of an empty schedule. But as the clock ticked towards 3pm, my desire to see all of the Oscar-nominated films finally overpowered my lethargy. I gathered myself up, found the motivation drive to the theatre, rewarded myself with a little snack from concessions, and sat in my seat for Perfect Days just as Nicole Kidman was telling the audience that “we make movies better”. I’m so glad that I went.
Hirayama (Koji Yakusho) is an aging sanitation worker in Tokyo who has every part of his day down to a science: wake up, fold the linens, brush his teeth, water the plants, grab a coffee, go to work cleaning public restrooms, come home, wash up at a bathhouse, go to dinner, go home, read, and go to sleep. Rinse and repeat, day in and day out. It’s a modest life, but it’s immensely pleasant. There really couldn’t have been a more appropriate mood for me to be in for this film. Much like me earlier in the day, Hirayama takes pleasure in the small things; listening to 80’s cassette tapes on his commute (which is, in a masterful production decision, the only music we hear in the film), tending to his plants, or taking photos of the trees during his lunch breaks near a temple. His indulgence in his commute environment is relatable to anyone who does the same; while waiting in traffic, we create a domain of our own within our vehicles that feels impenetrable by the outside world, despite the only barrier being transparent glass. We see his eyes light up when a homeless man dances alone in a park, or when a tourist is delighted by the technology behind Tokyo’s transparent restrooms.
Hirayama barely speaks; he’s a man of so few words, he appears to be belligerently quiet in some situations, like when his yammering coworker goes on and on about a woman he’s hopelessly attempting to woo. Hirayama isn’t rude — he simply has nothing of substance to contribute at times, so he abstains; something that I think a great deal of people in modern society could learn from. He is, however, listening and observing at all times, waking up when most of Tokyo still sleeps, and moving through the city like a ghost. There’s a commentary on the social treatment of public servants here (which is revisited later), particularly in a poignant moment when Hirayama returns a lost boy to his mother. The mother does not acknowledge Hirayama whatsoever, but the boy turns to wave goodbye to him as they walk away. Hirayama, always enamored with simple joys, simply laughs and waves back.
At roughly the one-hour mark, Hirayama’s steady rhythm of workdays is disrupted when his niece appears, having run away from home after an argument with her mother. This point flips the perspective that we’ve seen thus far, taking us out of Hirayama’s comfortable monotony and showing us how it looks to someone else who doesn’t know it to be theirs. He shares a few of his days with her, and imparts a profound piece of wisdom on her: “Next time is next time. Now is now.” When Hirayama’s estranged sister inevitably comes to collect her daughter, pulling up in a Lexus driven by her chauffeur, she asks him with thinly veiled distaste if it’s true that he’s cleaning toilets for a living. As they drive away, Hirayama is overwhelmed with a sense of shame inflicted by his sister’s question.
Shortly after, Hirayama has a chance encounter with a man undergoing cancer treatment with weeks left to live. It’s a seemingly unrelated occasion, but the masterful thing about this movie is how such separate moments can affect someone’s state of mind so completely. I won’t spoil the resolution, but it involves a long take and an incredibly cathartic needle drop of Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good” that’ll hopefully have you reenacting the moment in your car.
On paper, Perfect Days doesn’t sound like a particularly interesting movie. But through a touching performance by Koji Yakusho, deft editing, carefully measured reservation, and a solid selection of well-placed needle drops, the film delivers a powerfully cleansing examination of what it means to live a simple life, and to savor every small joy that it brings.
I was absolutely blown away by this film! I cannot recommend it enough – it's simply beautiful!
The cinematography is exceptional, and Wim Wenders skillfully brings out the beauty in the ordinary. In my humble opinion, Koji Yakusho's portrayal of Hirayama stands out as one of the most outstanding performances in cinema this year. Not only does his acting emphasize the profound impact of carefully chosen words, but it also allows you to savor the strength of a moment in silence. This movie is a true gem.
The “perfect days" of a Japanese man who cleans public toilets. By the way, I had the honor of seeing the movie just a few meters from the locations!! The protagonist, Hirayama, seems to enjoy a solitary life characterized by a meticulous routine, where he finds joy in small things like taking care of plants, listening to the audiotapes from his young day, enjoying a drink at his favorite izakaya... or just completing his work with rigor. Then, various inconveniences and variables end up sabotaging Hirayama's perfect routine, suggesting to the viewer not only details about his past, but also the possibility that, deep down, he may know that happiness doesn't truly reside in small daily habits or in accepting a modest life. At least, that's my interpretation, influenced by my own life values. Hirayama's expression can be read in many possible ways.
The film never explicitly reveals its true intentions, becoming fascinating precisely in its ambiguities. You will just need to endure the pedantic repetitions during the first hour or so.
It's a wonderful thing to be able to find beauty in mundane things and be entertained by everyday life.
In a country where public restrooms are actually cleaned... lives a man with a mundane life but a big smile. This is basically a documentary about his everyday routine. Insert beautiful imagery and soundtrack. Barely any drama. A character study with not much development on the character. John Wick has more dialogue than this guy. The slow pacing, 2h runtime and rince repeat doesn't help either.
I wish he was my uncle.
A romantic perspective of a purely analog lifestyle. That's all the movie is.
The storytelling and character-building are very stereotypically Japanese.
I think the main message of "Perfect Days" is that there are some really fancy public toilets in Tokyo, and every day is a perfect day if you have the job of cleaning those toilets. Okay, of course that's not the message, although the right answer might not be that far off. The story is about toilet cleaner Hirayama, who has an extremely structured daily routine and enjoys the little things in life. However, he starts to falter when he is torn out of his routine.
Hirayama is played by Kōji Yakusho, who really does a fantastic job. Since his character speaks very little, he has to work a lot with facial expressions, and he does a great job. You can't necessarily say that about the rest of the cast; most of the characters are functional, but no one really stood out in terms of acting. Furthermore, I found Hirayama's colleague Takashi really annoying; he is one of the most obnoxious characters of the year.
All things considered, I especially liked the beginning of "Perfect Days," but in the middle, it got a bit tedious at times. I would also have liked to learn a bit more about the main character's past. You certainly can figure out a lot for yourself, but I felt a little was missing. Overall, it's still a very beautiful movie that is both visually appealing and thought-provoking.
I like hrs long videos of night walks so of course, i liked this movie. No story, just good vibes and great acting.
A meditative and contemplative film about the life of a person who has found its meaning in ordinary, perhaps inaccessible to understanding, things. There is some mystery in it, most likely in the past, but except for snatches of dreams between the monotony of days, we learn nothing about it. Few manage to make days ideal
The contemplation of simplicity, the movie is nothing more than a mixture of contemplation and observation, in an almost documentary tone, all very close up. It doesn't need many words, because the expressions and looks already say it all. The almost meditative feeling provokes reflections on ourselves.
A beautiful masterpiece of life.
This movie is a life lesson: a toilet cleaner in Tokyo happily lives his routine simple life and enjoys it, as if he lives in another ‘world’. Totally recommended.
Should have been named “Tokyo Toilet”.
The way the movie is told leaves too much to interpretation, and in not a good way. People who liked the movie say that the main character lives in a moment, and then change comes to them, I’d say the main character is stuck, comfortably numb and waiting for his life to be over.
And why Tokyo Toilet? Could he be a shopkeeper, or even street swiper? Directors intent to show toilet means his occupation doesnt matter. But it matters to viewer, in a different way.
Would have been much more interesting if movie was titled “Tokyo Toilet” and main character was talking to dead people appearing in toilets, and all their lives were pointless to the point that even in afterlife they hang out in toilets.
Well maybe in “Perfect Days” main character was dead or dying, and toilet stories is his final flashback of how his life could be if he lived 10 more years. No regrets.
I found it calming to watch
“You just keep me hanging on...”
"The world is made of many worlds. Some are connected and some are not."
What a cute movie! The story of a man who wonderfully reflects and spreads what contentment is. Paul already said it: "Godliness accompanied by contentment is great gain." The routine of a man with a simple life, without many possessions and with a hard job as a public bathroom manager, is made attractive and touching by the direction of Wim Wenders (who has been recognized mainly for his documentaries and who imprints that style on this fiction film). Koji Yakusho as the protagonist Hirayama is great, as his combined simplicity with his peaceful mannerisms sustains the premise of the story. The participation of music is important in the story and its selection establishes an ascending rhythm that reaches its peak with the very successful Feeling Good, by Nina Simone.
You know it's good when you realize it's his day off and you're excited to see what he does. Really great movie showing the small things in life and how changes can be both scary and promising.
We don't need 5 words, when one is enough: zen
Shout by GioBlockedParent2024-01-29T20:13:29Z
Komorebi: The sun's rays filtering through the leaves, creating a pattern that is never repeated twice and therefore exists only in that moment.
Like even the simple and uneventful days of our lives. Each day can never be lived the same twice so it is special and perfect because it only exists once.
A beautiful movie, or poetry, to remind us to be grateful for each single day. They are all perfect.