Renowned director Wim Wenders is back in the spotlight with his latest film, Perfect Days, which won the Prix d'interprétation masculine at the Cannes Film Festival, ahead of its theatrical release on November 29.
Perfect Days follows the story of Hirayama (played by award-winning Koji Yakusho), a man who cleans Tokyo's toilets. The character's daily life is gloomy, but he always seems to be in a good mood. He's a simple man who enjoys the little things in life: the music he listens to, the books he reads and the photos he takes of trees.
Wim Wenders has filmed in many countries over the course of his career, but this is the first time the German filmmaker has set foot in Japan. The second film to be presented at Cannes this year, after Le Bruit du temps at the start of the fortnight, this time he shows us a completely different side of his cinema.
Perfect Days is a work of overwhelming simplicity. Yet it is never simplistic. Everything is played out in the details of Hirayama's life, as she repeats the same daily gestures in a seemingly alienating routine, but where little things brighten things up. A ray of sunshine, an impromptu visit or new encounters... Above all, Koji Yakusho's mischievous smile adds an incredible charm to the whole. He's a wonderful actor and a touching character, with a heart on his sleeve, whom Wenders portrays. He lives humbly and discreetly. His daily life, always the same, is filmed with great respect, gentleness and an immensely pleasant melancholy, like a little candy.
There are many remarkable scenes throughout the film. Most notable is a magnificent scene in a restaurant, where the barmaid sings a Japanese cover of"The House of the Rising Sun", the song by The Animals.
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