Perfect Days - 💥💥💥💥

Director: Wim Wenders 
Writer: Wim Wenders and Takuma Takasaki
Release Date: 23rd February 2024

Hot Rating: 💥💥💥💥

Synopsis: Follows Hirayama (Kōji Yakusho), a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo, going about his daily routine and enjoying simple pleasures like music, books and photographing trees. His ordered life is disrupted by encounters with his young assistant Takashi (Tokio Emoto), a bar worker named Aya (Aoi Yamada), and the unexpected arrival of his estranged niece Niko (Arisa Nakano).

Review: Perfect Days is a contemplative piece that draws inspiration from classic Japanese cinema, particularly the work of Yasujiro Ozu. While there isn’t a clear narrative or disequilibrium, the film engages by setting a consistent mood and encouraging viewers to appreciate the beauty in everyday interactions and rituals. Much like Ozu, the film takes a purposefully paced look at everyday Japanese life, depicted through interpolated shots of the domestic and natural world. Particularly enjoyable are those moments when Wenders shifts to a POV shot, putting viewers in Hirayama’s shoes as we see his surroundings, be this a rustling tree or the Tokyo skyline. Paired with these visuals are Yakusho's nuanced performance, the highlight being his expressive facial expressions which capture a flourishing range of emotions from elation and fulfillment, to despair and loneliness. Although the film's conclusion may not provide a definitive emotional payoff, Perfect Days remains a journey worth taking.  

Image: YouTube