Joey Magidson
There are a lot of ways in which Perfect Days could have gone wrong. Even in the hands of a strong filmmaker like Wim Wenders, such a little film could easily come off as pointless and pretentious. Arguably, most movies attempting this would end up with that sort of a result. So, kudos to Wenders for pulling this off. Perfect Days isn’t just a success story, but a quiet winner that has been slowly but surely gaining fans. Now, you’ll be able to see why.
Perfect Days is tender yet perceptive, unfolding in an unhurried manner that gradually reveals itself. What could just be a look at a janitor in Japan driving between jobs while listening to some rock music ends up being so much more. To some degree, what you put into it is what you get out of it, but rewards there to be found.
Janitor Hirayama (Koji Yakusho) seems rather content with his simple life, as we quickly learn. He works as a cleaner of public toilets in Tokyo, doing a very good job, in contrast to his slacker co-worker Takashi (Tokio Emoto). His life is very structured, with routine and his job only really being challenged for his focus by a passion for reading, as well as listening to music on his drives. In his spare time, he likes photography, as well as frequenting a restaurant run by Mama (Sayuri Ishikawa). This is a simple man, through and through.
As we observe Hirayama’s days, a change in routine is brought about by the arrival of Niko (Arisa Nakano), the teen daughter of his estranged sister Keiko (Yumi Aso). Niko’s presence in his life brings up the past, which is a far cry from his present life. At the same time, he keeps to his routine, with work and music leading the way. By the end of the film, we’ll understand the man more, even if to the rest of the world, nothing has appeared to have changed.
You can’t take your eyes off of Koji Yakusho here. The dignity of work and a structured life is captured without a moment of artifice. You could be mistaken for thinking there’s nothing here except work and listening to music, but you’d be dead wrong. The man makes everything simple end up feeling complex by the end. Supporting players include the aforementioned Yumi Aso, Tokio Emoto, Sayuri Ishikawa, and Arisa Nakano, alongside Tomokazu Miura, Min Tanaka, and Aoi Yamada, but Yakusho is the centerpiece.
Wim Wenders has made one of his gentlest works here, as well as one of his best. Co-writing with Takuma Takasaki, this is almost Wenders’ version of a Bruce Springsteen ballad. Takasaki and Wenders resist the urge to ever ramp things up, letting the story unfold on its own time. Plus, Wenders has some excellent song selections here, letting the character’s taste in rock music be its own character in a way. For some, this might be too slow and too simple, but as long as you get on its wavelength, it’s lovely to bear witness to.
Perfect Days surprised me. An ode to the working man and the music that fuels a day, there’s lots to grab on to if you’re patient and willing to go with it. Especially if you’re someone who digs on Wim Wenders, this is a must-see. Moreover, if you’re just catching up on quality cinema, make some time for this flick!
SCORE: ★★★
Comments
Loading…