Perfect Days by Wim Wenders - An Interplay of Happiness and Sorrow

Still from Perfect Days│courtesy of Wenders Images

Written by Gill Princen

Perfect Days (2023), directed by Wim Wenders, is a contemplative film that invites you into the life of Tokyo toilet cleaner Hirayama, played by Koji Yakusho. These two and a half hours of slice-of-life are a meditation on the simplicity of everyday life, the passage of time, and the co-existence of joy and melancholy. Wenders, known for his deep, introspective style in movies like Wings of Desire, delivers a narrative that is rich in visual poetry and understated emotion, recognizing the subtle, often overlapping presence of joy and sorrow in everyday moments.

Simplicity in Routine

One of the central themes of Perfect Days is the beauty and fulfillment found in simplicity. Hirayama’s life is carefully structured around his daily routine. Waking up, folding his futon, spraying the plants he keeps in a separate room, getting his coffee from the vending machine, and off to work. He cleans public toilets in Tokyo, a job that might seem mundane or even degrading to some, yet the film portrays it with reverence. The routine is almost a ritualistic process that Hirayama approaches with care and dignity. This focus on routine highlights the Zen-like peace that can be found in Hirayama’s repetition of simple tasks.

Although his life is seemingly simple and repetitive, it is rich with emotion. On the surface, Hirayama is content, even serene, in his daily routines—cleaning toilets, walking through the city, and savoring the small pleasures of nature. Yet, beneath this facade of tranquility, there is a lingering pain, a sense of loss that is never fully explained but is always present.

Still from Perfect Days│courtesy of Wenders Images

The duality between joy and sorrow is expressed most clearly in the moments where Hirayama is forced to face his memories. These scenes are tinged with a bittersweet quality, suggesting that while Hirayama has found peace in his routines, there remains an unspoken sadness, perhaps a longing for something lost or unattainable. Wenders invites the audience to recognize that Hirayama’s contentment is not in spite of this sadness but, in some ways, because of it.

Embracing Solitude

While Perfect Days celebrates simplicity, it also explores the complexities of solitude. Hirayama is a solitary figure, and the film subtly explores the line between loneliness and peaceful solitude. His interactions with others are minimal, yet meaningful. The absence of family or close relationships in his life raises questions about the nature of fulfilment and whether true happiness requires companionship or can be achieved in solitude.

When Hirayama’s niece Niko (portrayed by Arisa Nakano) arrives at his doorstep, it becomes both a moment of escape and confrontation. Hirayama savors the intimate time spent with Niko, all the while recognizing how rare and fleeting such moments are. The confrontation comes when Niko’s mother is waiting for her upon their return, highlighting the clash of two worlds that cannot, or don’t seem to want to coexist. This encounter offers a glimpse into the origins and emotional depth of Hirayama’s sorrow.

Still from Perfect Days│courtesy of Wenders Images

The Interplay of Happiness and Sadness

Through its intimate modesty, Perfect Days masterfully portrays the complex duality of human emotions. Wenders explores how two extremely recognizable emotions are not mutually exclusive but are intertwined, often coexisting within the same moments or experiences. The film suggests that a full and meaningful life requires an acceptance of this duality, acknowledging that happiness and sadness are two sides of the same coin, constantly in flux, and always seeking balance.

Hirayama’s character is a vessel through which Wenders explores this balance. On the surface, Hirayama appears to be content with his simple life—his meticulous attention to his work, his daily routines, and his quiet appreciation of nature all suggest a man at peace. However, the film subtly hints at underlying sadness or loss, visible in moments of quiet reflection and the solitary nature of his existence.

Hirayama’s Quiet Resilience

Koji Yakusho’s portrayal of Hirayama is a masterclass in subtlety. His character is largely defined by his actions rather than dialogue. Hirayama’s calm demeanor and methodical approach to life suggest a man who has found peace within himself, yet there is a underlying darkness that the film never fully articulates. This ambiguity allows the audience to project their interpretations onto Hirayama, making him a universally relatable character.

Each interaction Hirayama has, whether with his co-workers or an encounter with a stranger, adds layers to his character. None of these interactions are dramatic or overtly emotional; instead, they are quiet exchanges that carry a weight far beyond the words spoken.

This fleetingness of human connections suggests that while these moments of connection can bring happiness, they are often accompanied by an awareness of their impermanence. But rather than viewing this as tragic, Perfect Days presents it as an integral part of the human experience.

Still from Perfect Days│courtesy of Wenders Images

The Other Side of Tokyo

The city of Tokyo as portrayed in Perfect Days, serves as a silent reflection of Hirayama’s inner world. Tokyo in Perfect Days is not the chaotic, bustling metropolis often depicted in cinema, but rather a city of quiet streets, serene parks, and intimate spaces. This tranquil setting mirrors Hirayama’s calm demeanor, but it also holds an undercurrent of isolation.

The city’s stillness is interrupted by moments of activity—a passing train, the murmur of distant voices, the rustle of leaves in the wind. Like the ripples in Hirayama’s emotional life, small but significant disruptions that remind the viewer of the deeper currents at play. Wenders uses the city not just as a backdrop, but as an extension of Hirayama’s emotional landscape, where the boundaries between happiness and sadness are as fluid as the streets he walks.

At the Crossroads of Fiction and Documentary

The film’s deliberate pacing allows viewers to fully absorb the nuances of each scene, to linger in the quiet moments where Hirayama’s emotions are most evident. The absence of a traditional score draws attention to the ambient sounds of Hirayama’s world—the rustling leaves, distant city noises, and the flow of his daily tasks. These sounds become a kind of a soundtrack, subtly conveying the rhythms of Hirayama’s internal life.

The abundance of close-up shots of Hirayama’s face reveal the subtle shifts in his expression, capturing the nuanced interaction of emotions that words cannot convey. In these moments, Wenders allows the audience to see beyond the surface, to glimpse the sadness that lies just beneath Hirayama’s calm facade, and the quiet joy that sometimes breaks through.

Still from Perfect Days│courtesy of Wenders Images

Perfect Days by Wim Wenders is a film that avoids dramatic emotions, opting for a subtle and thoughtful exploration of human experience. Through the character of Hirayama, Wenders explores how happiness and sadness are not opposing forces but are intertwined aspects of life, each enhancing the resonance of the other. The film’s visual metaphors, its subtle use of the urban landscape, and its focus on the quiet moments of daily life all contribute to a textured exploration of the emotional complexities that define the human condition. In Perfect Days, Wenders reminds us that it is in the acceptance and understanding of these emotional crossroads that we find a deeper sense of what it means to be alive.

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