Living a humble life, Hirayama seems to have mastered his daily routine. He knows exactly how to do his work as the custodian of the Tokyo public toilets, enjoys his collection of music while he drives, showers at one of the public baths, has a small meal, and then goes home to read a new book that he purchased the weekend before. Although his life isn’t particularly exciting, he seems satisfied but, as more and more people seep into his life, he realizes what he’s been missing.
Perfect Days reveals more about our nature as humans, as well as our need for connection. Legendary German director Wim Wenders sets his sights on a much more subtle and understated look at life in his new film. Led by a suburb Cannes-winning performance from Koji Yakusho as Hirayama, Wenders uses his mastery of filmmaking to craft an intimate character study. Wenders and his co-writer Takuma Takasaki draw you to every detail of Hirayama’s world and how much care he puts into it.
Hirayama uses his modest lifestyle to the fullest, filling it with small joys while also taking time to help those who seem to have their lives less figured out around him. His character brings comfort to these people but the movie slowly reveals that he doesn’t know how to connect with those who would return the favour. Perfect Days looks at our need for connection in a profound way by slowly revealing itself as a deeply felt and dramatic film. Even if some might feel that it overstays its welcome, it has a powerful message about cherishing those who are close to us.
Perfect Days is currently available at TIFF ’23. For more information, click here.
