Perfect Days Japanese Film Thoughts(2023)

 

   Perfect Days is a film that was a collaboration between Japan and Germany. The film was directed by Wim Wenders while the script was written by him along side Takuma Takasaki. Academy Awards gave the film a Best International film nomination but the film didn't win. Still, Perfect Days was haled as a massive award wining project by other film associations; With lead actor Koji Yakusho being praised for his performance.

    A simple account of a Japanese man living out his normal days as a bathroom cleaner. 

    For a film to take such a simple story of just following a man's life while also making the content interesting was so amazing for me. Perfect Days isn't really about much while, still being crafting so much in the simple lines of very day life. There's a looming mystery of our main character since he doesn't have much lines. He's also very aloof most of the film. Watching him interact with others as well as live is so captivating for some reason. I think that this film would be this good but, I was surprised. By the conclusion of Perfect Days, you find out that everything isn't so "perfect" for our leading man. He still continues to live on though. The final two scenes are probably the most powerful in the whole film. 

     One aspect of Perfect Days that really supports the film's progression is the soundtrack: which is mostly classics by African American artists. These songs fill the main character's workdays as he listen to them as he drives along. Feeling Good By Nina Simone was a great selection to end the film with that shot of the city in the setting sun. A lot of the camera shots use outward shots or shots that convey events without doing too much in a scene. Less was more for this film and it worked wonders. 

    Koji Yakusho carried this whole film on his back and didn't seem to break a sweat. He conveyed so much to the viewer without dialogue or support from costars. He really showed that he has the talent to be engulfed in a character's existence to being out that character's very essence.   

    Perfect Days is a film that everyone should watch at least one time. It's a film that will allow you to take something away from what you see. I wish more film were like this.