Perfect Days

It’s the epitome of East meets West – a movie that illuminates Tokyo through the eyes of an outsider.  Yet considering it’s the first film in Japan’s rich cinematic history to be nominated for an Oscar without a Japanese director at the helm, Perfect Days avoids a whitewashed depiction of the country, featuring an all-Japanese cast who deliver all their lines in their native language.

Some Western influences are inescapable though, evidenced by the movie’s ‘dad rock’ inspired soundtrack (The Kinks, Velvet Underground, Patti Smith, Otis Redding, etc.). In fact, the film’s title is derived from Lou Reed’s song Perfect Day, which sets the mood for the story.

But Wenders is not entirely an outsider. He knows a thing or two about Japanese culture. Almost four decades ago, he spent time in Tokyo to film a documentary entitled Tokyo-ga, which was his way of paying homage to the memory and legacy of beloved Japanese director Yasujirō Ozu.

Wenders also shot scenes of his 1991 sci-fi classic Until the End of the World in Tokyo.  So in a way, Perfect Days is the return of Japan’s adopted son after being away for more than three decades.  And Wenders makes the most of it with this understated masterpiece.

Shining a spotlight on the plight of sanitation workers is Koji Yakusho, who delivers a dignified and heartfelt portrayal of the dedicated, taciturn toilet cleaner Hirayama with as few lines as possible.

It’s important to note that Komorebi, a Japanese word with no direct English equivalent that loosely translates to sunlight leaking through trees, was the movie’s original title. It’s a theme that is heavily alluded to in the film and used judiciously as a plot device. Though Hirayama’s backstory is never revealed, Wenders disclosed in an interview with Tricycle: The Buddhist Review that the character lived a wealthy but troubled life before finding peace and fulfillment in his unglamorous occupation. And during one of his darkest moments, the miracle of komorebi appeared to him – seemingly out of nowhere, in a hotel room through a window as he was contemplating suicide. Its profound beauty stopped him from doing the unthinkable.

This backstory is deliberately left out in the movie, and it’s for the better. A conventional director would’ve revealed this important detail and devoted screen time to its exposition. But Perfect Days is not a predictable film. It embraces the beauty and power of minimalism, ultimately eliciting a more truthful and profound emotional response.

Where so many films today thrive in chaos, Perfect Days shines in its quietest moments. Watching it feels like a meditation, one that teaches us to live in the present and embrace the subtler moments in life.

While its by no means perfect, the film’s universal message and zen-like immersion make it an ideal film for self-reflection and introspection – in essence, cinema’s highest aspiration.