Wenders’ new film sees him return to Japan for a contemplative take on the human experience in modern society, following the daily routine of a cultured toilet cleaner who is obsessed with collecting cassette tapes of American oldies.
Review #2,706
Dir. Wim Wenders
2023 | Japan, Germany | Drama | 125 min | 1.33:1 | Japanese & English
PG (passed clean) for brief nudity
Cast: Koji Yakusho, Tokio Emoto, Arisa Nakano, Aoi Yamada, Yumi Asou
Plot: Hirayama lives a life of blissful contentment, spending his days balancing his job as a caretaker of Tokyo’s public toilets with his passion for music, literature, and photography. His structured routine is slowly interrupted by unexpected encounters that force him to reconnect with his past.
Awards: Won Best Actor, Prize of the Ecumenical Jury & Nom. for Palme d’Or (Cannes); Nom. for Best International Feature (Oscars)
International Sales The Match Factory (SG: Anticipate Pictures)
Accessibility Index
Subject Matter: Moderate – Daily Routine; Pride in Work; Cultured Pleasures
Narrative Style: Straightforward
Pace: Slightly Slow
Audience Type: Slightly Arthouse
Viewed: Oldham Theatre (as part of Perspectives Film Festival 2023)
Spoilers: No
I think my Dad will like this film. One of his favourite songs of all time is ‘House of the Rising Sun’ by The Animals, which is the first cassette tape that Hirayama puts on as his early morning commute in his cute little van brings him to the site of his work: the city’s toilets.
A toilet cleaner who takes pride in his work, Hirayama is also a cultured man of music and literature. Wim Wenders’ latest film draws us into the daily routine of this obsessive admirer of American oldies.
The German auteur is no stranger to Japan, having made the Ozu-inspired documentary Tokyo-Ga back in 1985. His compatriot Werner Herzog similarly had a Japanese epiphany with the somewhat underwhelming Family Romance, LLC (2019).
Even though Perfect Days works as a drama, there are numerous moments where it feels like a documentary. For instance, we see folks use the restrooms, some more urgently than others; as Hirayama cycles during the weekends, we become acquainted with F&B outlets, bookstores and record stores, which is no different from a travelogue.
“Next time is next time. Now is now.”
Koji Yakusho, who won Best Actor at Cannes for his largely non-speaking role here, is highly engaging. His face alone tells a grand story of personal fortitude, restrained emotions and an unassuming approach to living.
A contemplative take on the human experience in modern society, Perfect Days uses an ageing man as a conduit to explore what it means to live in the present… and to dream.
As Hirayama goes to sleep, he dreams of the day’s activities and interactions. Wenders employs a vague, stylised black-and-white experimental mode of abstract images to convey his ‘lucid dreaming’ numerous times.
We can learn much from this man’s philosophy, one that is not so much about the necessity of spending exorbitantly to enjoy the finer things in life, but to treat the appreciation of art, culture and nature as part and parcel of living finely—and infinitely.
Grade: A-
Trailer:
Music:
Eternality Tan 
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Great review! I’m definitely looking forward to watching this film. I’ve always appreciated films which capture the simple beauty of life. In this regard, I absolutely adored “Past Lives” from last year. Here’s why I loved that movie so much: https://huilahimovie.reviews/2023/12/19/why-past-lives-is-the-best-movie-of-the-year/
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[…] Lead Actor: PERFECT DAYS – to Koji Yakusho for a natural and quietly effective performance of restraint in Wim […]
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