Directed by German filmmaker Wim Wenders and starring Koji Yakusho, Perfect Days follows Yakusho as Hirayama, a Tokyo toilet cleaner who is content with his daily life through music, books, and taking photos. Through a series a of unexpected events, more is gradually is revealed about the man. Some sites may tell you a different synopsis. While they are all true, going into this not knowing much is the best way going into this. I have been seeing a lot of reviews saying that this film just has “vibes.” That may sound vague if you are looking for a deeper meaning. While it is true of said vibes, I’d go even deeper and say that this film is an experience.

The film immediately opens up on Hirayama waking up in his small apartment. Just as he opens his eyes, he’s eagerly ready to get up, put his bed away, and start his daily routine. He waters his plants, brushes his teeth, grooms himself, and he’s out the door. Just as he opens the door to the outside, he looks up and smile, embracing the environment. Before he gets in his car, he makes a quick stop at the bending machine for his morning coffee. He then starts commute traveling around Tokyo cleaning outside public restrooms. Sometimes he plays music through his cassette tapes. Sometimes he doesn’t. That’s essentially his daily routine, yet he goes through events that make him appreciate life even more.

I start off by saying all of this as I feel like marketing this to someone would be rather tough unless you appreciate film. There are many moments where it seems redundant as he see this guy’s life on a daily basis. Here is where I believe the exception turns this film into one of the most important movies I have ever seen: relatability. Too many times do we ponder what kind of movie our life would be like if it was turned into one. This film portrays an answer that I don’t think anyone would want to answer, and that’s a film where life is repetitive, yet there’s an important piece to this that makes the film worth exploring.

Without giving much else away, more is revealed by this main characters through the way he encounters others. There is an annoying coworker who he continuously gives grace to. You can tell he gets annoyed, but he lets this person figure things out on their own and even tries to help them out the best that he can. On first glance, I couldn’t tell if this annoying coworker was a negative aspect or not. Truthfully, it brings in more relatability as it portrays Hirayama in a vulnerable place that can often by exploited.

Then, there is a young girl who has ties with him, yet I would confidently say that it takes a while to get to. Yes, it opens the past to the reason why this main character is the way he is. And I only bring this up, because I don’t want viewers to get discouraged by feeling like there is not much happening. Throughout the film, this character reminded me of different people throughout my life, and finally, he really reminded me of myself, which offered a very therapeutic experience. Too often do we see a movie where a character similar to this will go down a darker path. Instead, we see this character embracing life. He’s alone, but he is at peace, giving him the pleasure of enjoying life. He is even there for others who may not have anyone to turn to. The film’s most important theme: always be kind to others.

Just as the credits were about to roll, I knew the end was coming. Even though I already spent 2 hours with this character, I could honestly spend another 2 hours with him. The audience in my theater and I just sat there when the credits rolled. No one moved or said anything for what felt like forever. I even sat in silence in my car ride back home. I hope this is the selling point to convince you to go see this.

The daily routine and the pacing of the film wouldn’t have been possible without the lead performance from Koji Yakusho, the direction, editing, cinematography, and sound design. It is a shame that Yakusho will not get enough recognition in what has to be one of the best performances of 2023. As the camera follows him, there is not a single moment where it comes across that he is an actor. He is comfortable with the camera being very intimate with him to the point where the audience gets to feel like they are with him, which is probably why we felt the way we did when the credits rolled. We didn’t want to leave this character, yet in this fictional world, we know that he’s going to be okay.

To be honest, Wim Wenders is a name that I have only recently came across, most notably with his outstanding work in Paris, Texas. Nearly 40 years later, it is apparent that he’s able to be close enough with the talent that brings out the best of performances. As a German filmmaker, the film is the first to not be directed by a Japanese filmmaker to be nominated as the Japanese entry for Best International Feature. It’s an incredible feat that speaks volumes for the filmmaker. He’s clearly a filmmaker who wants to tell human stories from other parts of the world, showing just how universal humans really are.

I’ll wrap up my final thoughts through the other components that make the film incredible, and that is the cinematography, sound design, and editing. I would actually say that the cinematography & editing work closely hand-in-hand. We get all kind of different camera angles offering a different perspective on the character’s daily routine. The editing cuts seamlessly with the different camera angles that offer an exciting take as we navigate through each day. This also makes for an incredible pace. I only looked at my watch twice just out of curiosity of how much was left, because it never dragged. I believe the “vibes” mentioned in different reviews is all thanks to the sound design. When Hirayama is listening to his cassettes, it also brings you with him as it truly sounds like the same quality. Then, there are the moments where he is taking in life and we get to hear what he hears in the environment.

Overall, Perfect Days is unlike anything I have ever seen, yet feels all to rare. Similar films try to leave a darker impression, while this one leaves a hopeful one. Koji Yakusho delivers one of the best performances of the year as a man juggling many emotions. The title is a perfect title, because it is a perfect movie.

VERDICT: Perfect