If you want to read my review of Perfect Days, read this post. In パーフェクトデイズ, Hirayama’s life, between work, household chores and leisure, is portrayed. During these activities, he doesn’t miss the opportunity to contemplate the beauty of life.
Hirayama (Koji Yakusho) lives in Sumida and works cleaning public toilets in Shibuya. He lives day-to-day to its fullest, whether it’s a good or bad moment.
“Next time is next time. Now is now.”
Niko (Arisa Nakano) is Hirayama’s niece and runs away from home to spend a few days with her uncle. Even though they live in different worlds, she loves him.
“Staying at your house was always my plan.”
He performed his duties with great dedication, took advantage of pleasant situations, faced bad ones and most importantly, on the next day, he woke up with the same desire to live life to its fullest.
Perfect Days: japanese movie review
Hirayama lived with almost total dedication to what he was doing at that moment. He was the complete opposite of his young co-worker.
“Hirayama, relax. It will get dirty again..”
His days were made up of work, bathing in public baths, eating in his favorite alley, and reading until he fell asleep.
Hirayama collected cassette tapes, books on various subjects and, most importantly, photos of sunlight passing through tree leaves. He was getting the most value from each activity.
Not all days were good days. But the morning sky the next day always offered an infinite number of good moments to be lived.
One day, Niko, all grown up after years of being away, appeared at his door asking for shelter and he did everything he could to welcome his niece in the best way possible.
“My world and your mother’s are very different.”
The truth is that Hirayama was from a rich family. However, because of disagreements with his father, he had to move away from his niece and beloved sister.
“Would you visit him in the asylum? He won’t act like he used to.”
With his niece running away, he had to see his sister once again, face the pain of missing her and remember the harsh things he heard from his father.
Komorebi: sunlight shining through the rustling leaves of trees
The Japanese term Komorebi evokes feelings of peace, tranquility and connection with nature that, in modern day-to-day life, we overlook.
Don’t misunderstand me. On the contrary to what “happiness coaches” preach, I don’t think there is a perfect way to live life. However, I believe there are different ways of seeing the same life.
It is possible to find moments of great happiness and pleasure or the exact opposite. In short, life comes from you and not for you.
Why you should watch Perfect Days
I won’t leave Perfect Days ending explained or a download link here and I’m a layman on cinema, just a consumer. However, I found this Japanese film to be a lesson in cinema and acting. A cinematic gem.
Furthermore, unusually, 90% of the songs played are in English. However, Hirayama’s setlist is wonderful.
Perfect Days trailer
I really feel that you will like this one. So I decided to do this Pāfekutodeizu review. Go ahead, immerse yourself in the story, the environment and the soundtrack.
And come back later to tell me what you think in the comments. This Japanese movie won Koji Yakusho the best actor award at the Cannes Film Festival.
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