Perfect Days - Review: The Mesmerizing Beauty of a Simple Life

Perfect Days (2023)

The Mesmerizing Beauty of a Simple Life

★★★★☆

 A soul-soothing slice of life that finds profound humanity in the routines we often ignore.

Lucky 13 Review

Perfect Days

Directed by Wim Wenders • 2023

Release Date

December 21, 2023

Rotten Tomatoes

96%

Letterboxd Score

4.2/5

Running Time

2h 04m

Official Synopsis

Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a toilet cleaner in Tokyo. Outside of his highly structured and dedicated professional routine, he cherishes a profound passion for music, literature, and photography, capturing shadows on trees with his vintage film camera. However, a series of unexpected, low-stakes encounters with his chaotic younger coworker, an eccentric homeless man, and his estranged runaway niece slowly pull back the curtain on a deeply buried, emotional past he long left behind.

Expanded Ensemble

• Koji Yakusho as Hirayama
• Tokio Emoto as Takashi
• Arisa Nakano as Niko
• Aoi Yamada as Aya
• Yumi Asou as Keiko
• Tomokazu Miura as Tomoyama

Expanded Architects

• Director: Wim Wenders
• Screenplay: Wim Wenders, Takuma Takasaki
• Producers: Wim Wenders, Koji Yakusho, Takuma Takasaki
• Cinematography: Franz Lustig
• Film Editor: Toni Froschhammer
• Music Curation: Classic Rock Cassette Soundtrack

Official Promotional Trailer

Production Info & Specifications

Financial Budget	$1.5 Million (Estimated)
Global Box Office	$24.3 Million
Capture Format	Digital (Sony FX3) • 1.33:1 Full Frame Layout
Primary Locations	Shibuya & Asakusa (Tokyo), Japan
Production Label	Neon • Master Mind Ltd. • Wenders Images

"A great film to watch when one starts to feel overwhelmed by seemingly important things, which are really just insignificant if given the proper perspective."

— Ray Manukay

🎬 Cast & Crew

• Director: Wim Wenders
• Starring: Kōji Yakusho, Tokio Emoto, Arisa Nakano
• Supporting: Aoi Yamada, Sayuri Ishikawa, Tomokazu Miura
• Studio: [NEON / Master Mind](https://neonrated.com)

The Vision

Wenders' vision is a rejection of modern chaos, choosing instead to celebrate the "uncomplicated" person. By focusing on the meticulous care Hirayama puts into his work and his analog hobbies, the film highlights a focused way of living that has become rare. The directorial style is patient and observational, allowing the audience to relate to simple joys like sitting under a tree or driving to work listening to Lou Reed. It serves as a gentle reminder that life's most meaningful moments often exist within the insignificant minutiae of our daily existence.

🎬 Cinephile Fun Facts

• Best Actor Laurels: Lead actor  Kōji Yakusho won the Best Actor award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festivalfor his subtle, moving performance.
• The Tokyo Toilet Project: The stunning public bathrooms featured in the film are real, high-design structures built by the The Tokyo Toilet project, which originally commissioned Wenders to make a short documentary.
• Analog Soul: Hirayama’s love for cassette tapes and film photography was a deliberate choice by Wenders to showcase a character who stays [connected to the tangible world](https://www.criterion.com) in a digital age.

✅ Pros

• Mesmerizing, career-best performance by Kōji Yakusho.
• Beautifully captures the "humanity" in everyday routines.
• A perfect antidote to feeling overwhelmed by modern life.

❌ Cons

• Extremely slow pacing may bore "action-oriented" viewers.
• The episodic, repetitive structure isn't for everyone.
• Minimal plot development until the second act.

The Full Analysis

Perfect Days offers a profound look at a slice of life concerning a humble toilet cleaner in Japan. Wim Wenders weaves his signature cinematic magic as we follow the unremarkable, but cherished, existence of the lead character through his daily routines. We experience and relate to his simple pleasures, such as sitting under a tree during lunch or driving to work while listening to Lou Reed. A cynical viewer might ask what the point is in watching a character find joy in meticulously watering plants or cleaning toilets, yet these seemingly mundane acts become mesmerizing as the film progresses.

The narrative gains a focused clarity when these routines are shifted by the unexpected visit of a character in the second act. It is at this point that we receive an intimate look at what drives and motivates this charming, uncomplicated person. We are invited to drop our cynical judgment and see the beautiful humanity of an individual whom society usually ignores or neglects in real life. Koji Yakusho delivers an affable and deeply moving performance that anchors the film, capturing the quiet dignity of a man who has found peace within a different prism of success.

This is a great film to watch when one starts to feel overwhelmed by seemingly important things which are really just insignificant when viewed with the proper perspective. The production design and cinematography are handsome and grounded, emphasizing the tactile beauty of a life lived with intention. By focusing on the visceral satisfaction of a job well done and the small, invigorating moments of a morning commute, Wenders creates a landmark entry in the genre of contemporary character studies. It serves as a solid achievement in observational storytelling, providing a sharp, satirical edge to our modern obsession with status and noise.

Perfect Days stands as a uniquely special achievement that rewards the viewer’s willingness to slow down and simply absorb the material. It is a riveting reminder that a rich, internal life can exist in the most unassuming of circumstances. This film will likely be remembered as a significant milestone for Wenders, proving that a story about a "simple" man can be a powerfully invigorating and essential piece of cinema. It remains a beautiful curio that encourages us to cherish the present moment, ensuring that the legacy of this quiet, impactful chronicle stays with the audience long after the screen goes dark.

🏆 Final Verdict

A cinematic masterpiece of observation. It asks us to look closer at the world around us and find the beauty in being present. It’s a film that stays with you long after the final frame.

View on Letterboxd