'Perfect Days (2023)' is a narratively loose picture centred around a public toilet cleaner who spends his days meticulously following a well-established routine and appreciating the little moments of beauty he finds within it. Wim Wenders' latest is anchored by an absolutely phenomenal, mostly non-verbal performance from Koji Yakusho that finds truth in its subtlety. The film is essentially about the often overlooked joy that can be found in everyday mundanity, making a point to show the parts of life that usually don't make it to the big screen. It can be important to see a 'normal' life represented in film because it reminds you that your own, likely similar existence is no less important simply because it doesn't have the makings of a traditional motion picture. It doesn't just romantasise the simple, seemingly quite lonely existence of its lead, as it also showcases the hardships that come with such a life and has a focus on how even the smallest of interruptions to one's day-to-day pattern can have longer lasting, sometimes negative effects. However, it also acts as a celebrations of all things real, perhaps positing that most of what happens to you can be positive - or, at least, not overtly negative - with the right mindset. The protagonist often has a little smile on his face at even the dullest of moments, signifying that he finds contentment in the life he has built for himself. However, he also has moments of sadness, and these are presented as being entirely natural. The picture is unwilling to spoon-feed you his backstory or inner thoughts, providing enough hints for you to generate your own ideas without setting anything in stone. Yet, it's somehow able to feel incredibly poignant, and includes scenes that we lack the full context for but feel deeply nevertheless. It's a surprisingly emotional experience at times. The flick isn't willing to paint its events with a broad, idyllic brush. Instead, it finds a balance between the good and the bad, showing that one cannot exist without the other and that both happiness and sadness are vital emotions that aren't mutually exclusive. It hints towards the fairly existential idea that no matter how satisfied you are with your life, there's always something deep down that keeps you wondering what might have been. After all, for every life lived, there are a million lives not lived. Although it's arguably a little too long and its lack of narrative drive could turn some people off, it's surprisingly compelling throughout and just feels... peaceful. It's sweet without being saccharine, which is rarer than you might think. Once again I have to mention just how good its naturalistic central performance truly is. So much of this is carried by gesture and expression, and it's all the better for it. It's hard to imagine it working as well as it does with any other actor in the lead role. Ultimately, although it isn't perfect, this is a really solid effort that cuts to the heart of an experience many of us identify with and has the courage to present it with hope and love. Who'd have thought I'd be able to say that about a movie focused on cleaning toilets?
Review of Perfect Days
