In Wim Wenders’ Oscar-nominated opus, the bustling streets of Tokyo serve as the canvas upon which the German director paints a poignant portrait of life’s quiet nuances through the presence of the brilliant Kōji Yakusho. Set against the backdrop of the pulsing Japanese capital, the film follows Hirayama, a Tokyo toilet cleaner who savours the little moments in his daily affairs.
At the heart of the film lies Yakusho’s Hirayama, a man of few words but infinite depth. Through Yakusho’s masterful portrayal, Hirayama emerges as a figure of quiet resilience, his weathered face betraying the weight of a lifetime’s worth of experience. Yet beneath his stoic exterior lies a soul brimming with warmth and compassion. Sweet everyday interactions with family, coworkers, and strangers alike stand testament to Hirayama’s tenderness under his curmudgeonly existence.
Hirayama is an acolyte to routine. Wenders imbues his daily rituals with the gentleness of cinema verite, by the end of which, his everyday schedule is burned into our consciousness. As a proud employee of the real-life Tokyo Toilet Project, Hirayama spends his working hours meticulously cleaning the stunning public restrooms across Tokyo, his attention to detail bordering on the obsessive. Yet far from being a mundane chore, this act of cleaning becomes a form of meditation for Hirayama, a ritualistic expression of pride and dignity in his work.
Whether he’s scrubbing toilets with military precision, feeling the sunlight filter through the leaves on his face, or relishing his day off with an afternoon siesta, these moments of stillness serve as the film’s emotional core, offering glimpses into the soul of a man who finds solace in the simplicity of everyday life. Yakusho instantly turns Hirayama into a character that you not only root for, but more importantly relate with on a number of levels. Count me in for the solitary sandwich session on a park bench, a rendezvous with the local bookstore sage for a quick quip, and all those delightful little rituals in between.
From the outset, Perfect Days is a visual feast, with cinematography that captures the exuberance of Tokyo’s urban landscape. Each frame has a tenderness to its composition, inviting us to bask in the warmth of Tokyo’s rich textures and vibrant colours that define Hirayama’s world, with an almost poetic elegance. Each shot feels like a love letter to the city – from the neon-lit alleyways, to the serenity of its parks and gardens, to Hirayama’s tiny sunkissed flat.
One of the film’s most striking motifs is the juxtaposition of light and shadow, which Wenders uses to stunning effect throughout the narrative. Whether it’s the soft glow of sunlight trickling through foliage or the harsh fluorescence of a subway station, each play of light celebrates the beauty in the mundane.
Throughout the film, Wenders also explores themes of memory, solitude, and the passage of time. We receive a glimpse at Hirayama’s wistful recollections at the end of each day in the form of monotone dream sequences that feature his daily encounters who drift in and out of his life like shadows. It’s not until we witness Yakusho break down when bidding farewell to his sister and niece that we get a taste of Hirayama’s crippling solitude, one which he’d been doing such a stellar job masking for the better half of the film.
It felt almost cruel having to watch Yakusho’s haunting final shot, perfectly paired with Nina Simone’s “Feeling Good,” as Hirayama struggles to keep up the charade of composure, tears cascading down his grinning face while he drives off into the sunset. Things weren’t so daijoubu after all.
Perfect Days whisked me away on a rollercoaster of hope and wistfulness. With a delicate touch, it uncovers the enchantment within the ordinary, the cozy embrace of routine, and the art of leaving our mark. It’s a delightful dance between optimism and nostalgia, and left me floored as the credits rolled. Like a whispered secret shared amidst the clamour of Tokyo’s thronging buzz, Perfect Days reminds us that true perfection lies not in grand gestures or dramatic revelations, but in the quiet grace of everyday existence. It reminds us to pause, to reflect, and to embrace each perfect day as if it were our last.
Perfect Days is currently streaming on MUBI, bringing an inspiring cinematic journey to audiences worldwide. With its vivid portrayal of Tokyo and the depth of life it unravels, Wenders’ film truly stands out as a masterclass in world cinema and the wondrous reflection it engenders. It is a celebration of the ordinary, mesmerizing viewers into finding magic in the rhythms of the life they live daily.
