Film Snail

Perfect Days
Perfect Days

7.8

Perfect Days

PG·2023·124m

Summary

Hirayama is content with his life as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. Outside of his structured routine, he cherishes music on cassette tapes, books, and taking photos of trees. Through unexpected encounters, he reflects on finding beauty in the world.

Crew

Director, Screenplay

Wim Wenders

Screenplay

Takuma Takasaki

Reviews

B

BornKnight

March 4, 2024

10

Coproduction between Japan and Germany, directed by the german director Wim Wenders (Texas Paris, Wings of Desire among others) and written by him and Takuma Takashi.

It won the Cannes Film Festival 2023 for Best Actor and Ecumenical Jury and it is nominated for Academy Best Foreign Movie (my favorite for this category).

It tells some days at the life of a public bathroom cleaner at Tokyo, interpreted by Koji Yakusho Hirayama, as Hirayama, his daily routine and 4 events in between his usual days. It also shows how some people treat those invisible workers even in a modern civilized country as Japan.

Hirayama have a simple, but happy life as he is and what his does with the maximum commitment - it is a marvelou movie about contemplation and what simple things and events can bring of happiness in the life, if you allow it.

The cinematography is by Franz Lustig (Anselm), and it is beautiful in using the available light and daily variations, mostly in shots with the protagonist.

With a slow minimalistic story focused on this philosophy and camera work also directed to the architecture of public bathrooms, it may not be a movie for everyone.

My score for it is 9,6 out of 10,0 / A+.

Media

Status:

Released

Original Language:

Japanese

Budget:

$14,000,000.00

Revenue:

$24,094,016.00

Keywords

tree
routine
slice of life
janitor
working class
tokyo, japan
character study
uncle niece relationship
audio cassette
solitude
quest for knowledge
mystical quest
human nature
beauty of life
admiring