“Perfect Days,” February 23, 2024, Lexington Venue Theater. “Next time is next time. Now is now.” Wim Wenders excellent slice-of-life film is wonderfully acted, beautifully shot, and deeply moving. Hirayama (the amazing Koji Yakusho) cleans public toilets. His days follow a precise pattern of rising, grooming, driving to work, listening to 1960s/70s cassettes (an amazing soundtrack), goes to the bath after work, dining, and reading (reading some very serious stuff). He uses his small film camera to photograph fleeting, ever-changing images of trees, leaves, and light. He raises maple sprouts in his tiny apartment. He says very little. He does his work very diligently and he leaves the toilets he cleans sparkling. He is reliable to a fault. He dreams. His days-off are full of laundry, a nice meal at a restaurant/bar, picking up and dropping off film and photos, buying a new used book.
“Now is now” but that doesn’t mean they are happy days. Much more happens. He is a puzzlement to some and admired by others. He is a very intelligent man making choices and deciding how to live his life.
See this one. It is quite special. I’m still thinking about it. It is a lovely, profound film about meaning in life.