Perfect Days

Wim Wenders brings his signature sensibility to contemporary Tokyo, with a tale asking how we can live our lives regardless of all the difficulties we must face. Hirayama accepts a job cleaning public toilets with a surprising sense of humility. Although his life might strike us as arduous, boring, and sometimes even demeaning, his routine gives each day much-needed structure, and he takes joy from simple moments of contemplation in the park, reading a book, or listening to music. He radiates a sense of peace and happiness, but is it all just a defense mechanism? Kōji Yakusho’s portrayal of the taciturn toilet cleaner brought him a much-earned Best Actor award at Cannes.