Perfect Days is a 2023 drama film directed by Wim Wenders from a script written by Wenders and Takuma Takasaki.[4] A co-production between Japan and Germany, the film follows the routine life of Hirayama (Kōji Yakusho), a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo.[5]
Perfect Days premiered on 23 May 2023 at the 76th Cannes Film Festival, where it competed for the Palme d'Or and won the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the Best Actor Award for Kōji Yakusho. It was nominated for the Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards, becoming the first film not directed by a Japanese filmmaker to be nominated as the Japanese entry.[6]
Plot[]
Hirayama works as a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo's upscale Shibuya ward, across town from his modest home in an ungentrified neighborhood east of the Sumida River. He repeats his structured, ritualized life every day, starting at dawn. He dedicates his free time to his passion for music, which he listens to in his van to and from work, and to his books, which he reads every night before going to sleep. He reads stories by William Faulkner and Patricia Highsmith, and the essays of Aya Kōda. His dreams are shown in flickery impressionistic sequences at the end of every day.
Hirayama is also very fond of trees and spends time gardening and photographing them. He has a sandwich every day in the shade under trees in the grounds of a shrine and takes photos of their branches and leaves. His pride in his work is apparent by its thoroughness and precision. Hirayama's young assistant, Takashi, is often late, loud, and not as thorough. One day, a young woman named Aya stops by the public toilet Takashi is cleaning, so he hurries to finish. He tries to leave with Aya, but his motorbike will not start, so he convinces Hirayama to let him use his van.
When Aya says Takashi can stay with her as she works at a girls bar, he complains loudly that he is broke. Unbeknownst to Hirayama, Takashi slips Hirayama's Patti Smith tape into Aya's purse. Takashi talks Hirayama into going into a shop to get some of his cassettes appraised. When Takashi discovers how valuable they are, he urges Hirayama to sell, but Hirayama refuses, giving him some cash so he can take out Aya. When Hirayama runs out of gas on the way home, he is forced to sell a cassette for gas money. Hirayama commences a tic-tac-toe game with a stranger after finding a piece of paper left hidden in a stall. The game continues over the course of the film. He exchanges furtive glances with a strange woman eating lunch one bench over.
Aya catches up with Hirayama to return the Patti Smith cassette. She asks to play it in his van one last time, and then gives him a thank-you kiss on the cheek, leaving him visibly startled. On his free day, Hirayama does his laundry, takes the film with his tree photos to be developed, cleans his flat, buys a new book, and dines out at a restaurant where the female proprietor shares gossip with him. Niko, Hirayama's niece, shows up unannounced, having run away from his wealthy estranged sister Keiko's home. He lets Niko accompany him to work during the next two days. The two photograph the trees in the park and ride bikes together. Eventually, Keiko comes to pick up Niko in a chauffeured car.
Keiko tells him that their father’s dementia has worsened and asks whether Hirayama will visit him in the nursing home where he lives. She says that he doesn’t recognize anything anymore and will not behave the way he did before. Hirayama sorrowfully refuses but hugs his sister good-bye. Before she leaves, she asks him whether he really cleans toilets for a living, and he says yes. As they drive away, Hirayama begins to cry inconsolably. The next day, Takashi quits without giving notice, leaving Hirayama to cover his shift. Later, as Hirayama goes to his usual restaurant, he opens the door and sees the proprietor embracing a man. Hirayama hurries off, buying cigarettes and three canned highballs to consume at a nearby riverbank. The man Hirayama saw at the restaurant approaches and asks him for a cigarette.
The man tells him the restaurant proprietor is his ex-wife whom he had not seen in seven years, and that she opened her restaurant the year after divorcing him. He says he visited her to make peace before he dies from cancer, telling Hirayama to look after her. Hirayma lightens the mood by offering him a drink and inviting him to play shadow tag, and they eventually part ways. The following morning, Hirayama begins another workweek. As he drives his van and listens to Nina Simone sing "Feeling Good", a range of powerful emotions washes over his face.
Cast[]
- Kōji Yakusho as Hirayama
- Tokio Emoto as Takashi
- Arisa Nakano as Niko
- Template:Ill as Aya
- Yumi Asō as Keiko
- Sayuri Ishikawa as Mama
- Tomokazu Miura as Tomoyama
- Min Tanaka as homeless[1]
- Wim Wenders as cassette shop customer
Production[]
Right after COVID-19 pandemic precautions eased, Wenders was invited to Tokyo by Koji Yanai to observe the Tokyo Toilet Project, a project in which Japanese public toilets were redesigned in 17 locations throughout Shibuya with the help of 16 creators invited from around the world. Wenders was invited to take a look at the uniqueness of each of these facilities. At first, the producers envisioned Wenders would make a short film or series of short films on the facilities, but he opted for a feature film, with co-screenwriter Takuma Takasaki explaining that the conception of the character of Hirayama felt like new territory for them.[7][8]
The film is produced by Master Mind Limited (Japan) and Spoon Inc. (Japan) in collaboration with Wenders Images (Germany).[9][10]The film was shot over 17 days in Tokyo.[11]
The style of the film takes inspiration from the style of Japanese director Yasujirō Ozu. The minimalist approach to storytelling, the focus on ordinary life, and the 4:3 aspect ratio of the film are all nods to Ozu.[12][13] Also, the name Hirayama comes from a common character name in Ozu's films (Tokyo Story, An Autumn Afternoon).[14]
Soundtrack[]
The music that Hirayama listens to with his cassettes is a major motif in the film.[15][16] In describing the way that Hirayama chooses the music he listens to, Wenders said: "Maybe he's clinging to the past. But he's clinging a little bit also to his youth and he loves that music. He chooses in the morning exactly what he's going to listen to that day. And it's not random." Wenders described Lou Reed as "a mighty voice in the film."[17]
| Title | Artist | Year |
|---|---|---|
| "The House of the Rising Sun" | The Animals | 1964 |
| "Pale Blue Eyes" | The Velvet Underground | 1969 |
| "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay" | Otis Redding | 1968 |
| "Redondo Beach" | Patti Smith | 1975 |
| "(Walkin' Thru The) Sleepy City" | The Rolling Stones | 1964 |
| "Perfect Day" | Lou Reed | 1972 |
| "Aoi Sakana" | Sachiko Kanenobu | 1972 |
| "Sunny Afternoon" | The Kinks | 1966 |
| "The House of the Rising Sun" (Japanese version) | Maki Asakawa | 1972 |
| "Brown Eyed Girl" | Van Morrison | 1967 |
| "Feeling Good" | Nina Simone | 1965 |
| "Perfect Day" (Komorebi Version) | Patrick Watson | 2024 |
Release[]
Perfect Days was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival,[18] where it had its world premiere on 25 May.[19] It was also invited to the 27th Lima Film Festival in the Acclaimed section, where it was screened on 11 August 2023.[20] Subsequent screenings were held at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival and 2023 New York Film Festival.[21][22]
World sales were handled by The Match Factory,[23] with Neon distributing the film in the United States, and Mubi distributing the film in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey and Latin America.[24]
Perfect Days was released in Germany on 21 December 2023 by DCM,[25] and in Japan on 22 December by Bitters End.[26] The film was released in the U.S. on 7 February 2024.[27]
Reception[]
Critical response[]
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 96% based on 172 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "An absorbing slice-of-life drama led by a remarkable Kôji Yakusho performance, Perfect Days adds a quietly soaring gem to director/co-writer Wim Wenders' estimable filmography."[28] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 80 out of 100, based on 38 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.[29]
Hsin Wang of FIPRESCI described the film as Wim Wenders' lifetime masterpiece.[30]
German film journalist Dieter Osswald wrote, "With furious ease, Wenders succeeds in making a rather perfect film."[31]
Accolades[]
| Award or film festival | Date of ceremony | Category | Recipient(s) | Result | Template:Ref heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AARP Movies for Grownups Awards | 17 January 2024 | Best Foreign Language Film | Perfect Days | Nominated | [32][33] |
| Academy Awards | 10 March 2024 | Best International Feature Film | Nominated | [34] | |
| Asia Pacific Screen Awards | 3 November 2023 | Best Film | Won | [35][36] | |
| Best Performance | Kōji Yakusho | Nominated | |||
| Asian Film Awards | 10 March 2024 | Best Film | Perfect Days | Nominated | [37][38] |
| Best Actor | Kōji Yakusho | Won | |||
| Astra Film and Creative Arts Awards | 6 January 2024 | Best International Feature | Perfect Days | Nominated | [39] |
| Best International Filmmaker | Wim Wenders | Nominated | |||
| Best International Actor | Kōji Yakusho | Nominated | |||
| Blue Ribbon Awards | February 2024 | Best Film | Perfect Days | Nominated | [40] |
| Best Actor | Kōji Yakusho | Nominated | |||
| Belgian Film Critics Association | 6 January 2024 | Grand Prix | Perfect Days | Nominated | [41] |
| Boston Society of Film Critics Awards | 10 December 2023 | Best Actor | Kōji Yakusho | Template:Runner-up[lower-alpha 1] | [42] |
| Cannes Film Festival | 27 May 2023 | Palme d'Or | Wim Wenders | Nominated | [43] |
| Best Actor | Kōji Yakusho | Won | [44] | ||
| Prize of the Ecumenical Jury | Wim Wenders | Won | [45] | ||
| César Awards | 23 February 2024 | Best Foreign Film | Perfect Days | Nominated | [46][47] |
| Critics' Choice Movie Awards | 14 January 2024 | Best Foreign Language Film | Nominated | [48] | |
| Houston Film Critics Society | 22 January 2024 | Best Foreign Language Feature | Nominated | [49][50] | |
| IndieWire Critics Poll | 11 December 2023 | Best Performance | Kōji Yakusho | Draw[lower-alpha 2] | [51] |
| Best International Film | Perfect Days | Draw | |||
| International Cinephile Society | 11 February 2024 | Best Actor | Kōji Yakusho | Nominated | [52] |
| Japan Academy Film Prize | 8 March 2024 | Picture of the Year | Perfect Days | Nominated | [53][54] |
| Director of the Year | Wim Wenders | Won | |||
| Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role | Kōji Yakusho | Won | |||
| Kinema Junpo Awards | 18 February 2024 | Best Actor | Won | [55] | |
| Georgia Film Critics Association Awards | 5 January 2024 | Best International Film | Perfect Days | Nominated | [56][57] |
| Manaki Brothers Film Festival | 29 September 2023 | Golden Camera 300 | Franz Lustig | Nominated | [58] |
| Miskolc International Film Festival | 9 September 2023 | Emeric Pressburger Prize for Best Feature Film | Perfect Days | Nominated | [59] |
| Montclair Film Festival | 30 October 2023 | Junior Jury | Won | [60] | |
| North Texas Film Critics Association | 18 December 2023 | Best Foreign Language Film | Nominated | [61] | |
| San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle Awards | 9 January 2024 | Best International Feature Film | Nominated | [62] | |
| Seattle Film Critics Society Awards | 8 January 2024 | Best Actor in a Leading Role | Kōji Yakusho | Nominated | [63] |
| St. Louis Film Critics Association | 17 December 2023 | Best International Film | Perfect Days | Nominated | [64] |
| Toronto Film Critics Association | 17 December 2023 | Outstanding Lead Performance | Kōji Yakusho | Template:Runner-up[lower-alpha 3] | [65] |
| Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards | 10 December 2023 | Best Foreign Language Film | Perfect Days | Nominated | [66] |
Impact[]
Following the theatrical release of Perfect Days in international markets, interest in Japanese public facilities, particularly those of the Tokyo Toilet Project in Shibuya, has surged.[67][68]
See also[]
- List of submissions to the 96th Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film
- List of Japanese submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film
External links[]
- [http:// Official website]
Perfect Days at IMDb
Perfect Days at Rotten Tomatoes
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Perfect Days. The Match Factory.
- ↑ Perfect Days (2023).
- ↑ Perfect Days (2023).
- ↑ Bradshaw, Peter. "Perfect Days review – Wim Wenders explores a quiet life in Tokyo", 25 May 2023.
- ↑ Breitenbach, Dagmar (12 May 2022). Tokyo's public toilets inspire Wim Wenders. DW.
- ↑ 出品を希望する方へ│米国アカデミー賞│一般社団法人日本映画製作者連盟 (in ja). Motion Picture Producers Association of Japan.
- ↑ Manelis, Michele (11 June 2023). "Perfect Days": Portrait of a Simple Man in a Tokyo Story by Wim Wenders. Golden Globe Awards.
- ↑ Yukinori, Hashino (14 July 2023). The Tokyo Toilet Project Makes a Splash in Shibuya and Cannes.
- ↑ Wiseman, Andreas. "The Match Factory To Handle Wim Wenders' Tokyo-Set Cannes Competition Entry 'Perfect Days', Film Details & First-Look Revealed", 14 April 2023.
- ↑ Perfect Days. Cannes Film Festival.
- ↑ Thorpe, Vanessa. "Wim Wenders: cinema today 'makes me nauseous'", 18 May 2023.
- ↑ Shields, Chris (7 February 2024). Another Little Fleeting Moment: Wim Wenders on Perfects Days.
- ↑ 'Perfect Days' Director Wim Wenders and Koji Yakusho on Toilets and Tranquility (Exclusive) (8 February 2024).
- ↑ Wim Wenders and Yakusho Kōji Take Film to the Toilet with "Perfect Days" (in en) (8 February 2024).
- ↑ Pilley, Max (23 February 2024). "Here's every song on the 'Perfect Days' soundtrack". NME. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ↑ Lewis, Ffion (21 February 2024). Patrick Watson unveils "Perfect Day (Komorebi Version)" a solo piano cover of Lou Reed's cult song. Secret City Records.
- ↑ Mottram, James (8 February 2024). "Wim Wenders' life was saved by rock and roll: "Lou Reed is a mighty voice in my new film"". NME. Retrieved 26 February 2024.
- ↑ Stub
- ↑ The Screenings Guide of the 76th Festival de Cannes. Cannes Film Festival (10 May 2023).
- ↑ Perfect Days (in es). Lima Film Festival.
- ↑ Lattanzio, Ryan (10 August 2023). TIFF 2023 Centerpiece Program Showcases Aki Kaurismäki, Wim Wenders, Agnieszka Holland, and More.
- ↑ Rubin, Rebecca (8 August 2023). "New York Film Festival Unveils 2023 Lineup: 'Zone of Interest,' 'Poor Things,' 'Anatomy of a Fall' and More". Variety. Archived from the original on 3 October 2023. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedDeadline2 - ↑ Ntim, Zac (31 May 2023). Wim Wenders' Cannes Competition Title 'Perfect Days' Sells Out For The Match Factory.
- ↑ Roxborough, Scott (23 May 2023). "Cannes: DCM Takes Wim Wenders Festival Double Pack for Germany". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 15 August 2023. Retrieved 6 September 2023.
- ↑ Rosser, Michael (30 August 2023). 'Perfect Days', 'Godzilla Minus One' to booked Tokyo film festival 2023.
- ↑ Goldsmith, Jill (9 February 2024). Oscar-Nominated 'Perfect Days', 'The Taste Of Things', 'The Monk And The Gun' & The Ennio Morricone Doc That Almost Disappeared – Specialty Preview.
- ↑ Template:Cite Rotten Tomatoes
- ↑ Template:Cite Metacritic
- ↑ Return To Essence At Cannes 2023. FIPRESCI.
- ↑ Osswald, Dieter. Perfect Days (in de).
- ↑ Chuba, Kirsten (9 January 2024). "Oppenheimer Leads Nominations for 2024 AARP Movies for Grownups Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 9 January 2024. Retrieved 9 January 2024.
- ↑ Killers Of The Flower Moon Wins Best Picture At AARP Movies For Grownups Awards: Full List (17 January 2024).
- ↑ Gonzalez, Shivani. "Oscar Nominees 2024: See the Full List", 23 January 2024.
- ↑ Ntim, Zac (3 October 2023). Asia Pacific Screen Awards: Ryusuke Hamaguchi's 'Evil Does Not Exist' Leads Nominations & First Round Winners Announced.
- ↑ Frater, Patrick (3 November 2023). "'Perfect Days' Wins Best Film at Asia Pacific Screen Awards as Japan, Korea, Kazakh Titles Dominate". Variety. Archived from the original on 4 November 2023. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
- ↑ Asian Film Awards; Korean Historical Drama '12.12: The Day' & Ryusuke Hamaguchi's 'Evil Does Not Exist' Lead Nominations.
- ↑ Evil Does Not Exist wins Best Film! – Asian Film Awards Academy (in en-US) (10 March 2024).
- ↑ Anderson, Erik (7 December 2023). 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' Lead Hollywood Creative Alliance (HCA) Astra Awards Nominations.
- ↑ Template error: argument title is required.
- ↑ The Quiet Girl Grand Prix de la Critique du cinéma belge 2023! (in fr-FR) (2024-01-05).
- ↑ Anderson, Erik (10 December 2023). 2023 Boston Society of Film Critics (BSFC): 'The Holdovers' Wins Best Film, Actor, Supporting Actress, Screenplay.
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedPalme2 - ↑ Debruge, Peter (27 May 2023). "Cannes Awards: 'Anatomy of a Fall' Takes Palme d'Or, 'The Zone of Interest' and 'The Pot au Feu' Among Winners". Variety. Archived from the original on 28 May 2023. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
- ↑ Rouden, Céline. "Palmarès Festival de Cannes 2023 : La Française Justine Triet remporte la Palme d'or", 27 May 2023. (in fr)
- ↑ Keslassy, Elsa (24 January 2024). "Cesar Awards Nominations: Thomas Cailley's 'The Animal Kingdom,' Justine Triet's Oscar-Nominated 'Anatomy of a Fall' Lead the Way". Variety. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ↑ Roxborough, Scott; Szalai, Georg (24 January 2024). "Cesar Nominations: 'Anatomy of a Fall,' 'The Animal Kingdom' Lead the Pack for French Film Awards". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ↑ Nolfi, Joey (13 December 2023). "2024 Critics Choice Awards film nominations: See the full list". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 13 December 2023. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
- ↑ Darling, Cary. "Barbie, Oppenheimer lead Houston Film Critics Society's nominations", 9 January 2024.
- ↑ Darling, Cary. "Houston Film Critics Society names Poor Things the best film of 2023", 22 January 2024.
- ↑ Blauvelt, Christian (11 December 2023). 2023 Critics Poll: The Best Films and Performances, According to 158 Critics from Around the World.
- ↑ Stevens, Beth (11 February 2024). 2024 ICS Award Winners.
- ↑ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified (in ja). Oricon.
- ↑ 【日本アカデミー賞】『ゴジラ-1.0』最優秀作品賞含む最多8冠【受賞者・作品一覧】 (in ja). Oricon.
- ↑ Error on call to Template:cite web: Parameters url and title must be specified (in ja).
- ↑ Neglia, Matt (29 December 2023). The 2023 Georgia Film Critics Association (GAFCA) Nominations.
- ↑ Neglia, Matt (5 January 2024). The 2023 Georgia Film Critics Association (GAFCA) Winners.
- ↑ Official Selection "Camera 300" – Narrative Features. Manaki Brothers Film Festival (11 September 2023).
- ↑ FESTIVALS: CineFest Miskolc International Film Festival 2023 Announces Lineup. Film New Europe Association (17 August 2023).
- ↑ 2023 Montclair Film Festival Award Winners Announced!. Montclair Film.
- ↑ Neglia, Matt (18 December 2023). The 2023 North Texas Film Critics Association (NTFCA) Winners.
- ↑ Neglia, Matt (5 January 2024). The 2023 San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) Nominations.
- ↑ Neglia, Matt (3 January 2024). The 2023 Seattle Film Critics Society (SFCS) Nominations.
- ↑ 2023 St. Louis Film Critics Association (StLFCA) Nominations (10 December 2023).
- ↑ Neglia, Matt (17 December 2023). The 2023 Toronto Film Critics Association (TFCA) Winners.
- ↑ Neglia, Matt (9 December 2023). The 2023 Washington DC Area Film Critics Association (WAFCA) Nominations.
- ↑ McCurry, Justin. "Tokyo offers toilet tours amid flush of excitement over Wim Wenders's Oscar hopeful", The Observer, 2024-03-09. (in en-GB)
- ↑ Murphy, Jack (2024-04-18). Perfect Days elevates the everyday—not unlike Bêka & Lemoine's Moriyama-San (in en-US).
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