Film Directed by Wim Wenders. Screenplay Written by Wenders and Takuma Takasaki.
Navigating through the ups and downs of life, especially when dealing with stress, can leave us feeling overwhelmed and lost. It could even make us question out-loud: How do we deal with this stress in life? I feel that the film PERFECT DAYS addresses this question by highlighting the importance of understanding ourselves, finding inner peace, and recognizing the beauty around us. Similar to the lifestyle of the protagonist Hirayama, who works as toilet cleaner (at “The Tokyo Toilet”), the film invites us to explore and develop our own PERFECT DAYS amidst the hardships of everyday life.
Learning to Embrace Ourselves.
Throughout the story, we can see that Hirayama demonstrates a strong connection with himself. He stands firm against external disapproval of his personality, lifestyle, and occupation as a toilet cleaner. I believe his unwavering confidence stems from finding fulfillment within his own company and his knowledge of himself.
The film hints at a possible challenging journey that Hirayama had undergone. We are given a glimpse into his background that adds a ‘human layer’ to the concept of PERFECT DAYS. This takes place as the audience is introduced to Hirayama’s younger sister as she arrives to retrieve her daughter from his care. It can be inferred from their conversation that Hirayama has had a difficult and complicated relationship with their father.
I feel that PERFECT DAYS inspires us to make time for ourselves and learn more about our unique personalities and abilities. This is important to do because, after all, the longest relationship we have in life is with ourselves. So we should learn to embrace our own company, which will lead in strengthening our resilience and finding happiness in life.
Finding Inner Peace.
Throughout the film, we can see a significance placed on the use of light and shadows, which seems to interlace the themes of inner peace and recognizing the beauty around us.
Wim Wenders explores Hirayama’s dreams in many scenes, capturing monochromatic swaying trees and fleeting glimpses of familiar faces. Even though these dreamscapes may appear nonsensical, there is an overall feeling of peace, simplicity, and comfort. I feel that these dreams imply that, like Hirayama’s composed nature, our dreams can also reflect this tranquility when our hearts are equally at peace. The contrast between peaceful dreams and the hardships faced in life offers a thought-provoking reflection on the inner peace we can achieve.
Recognizing the Beauty Around Us.
Wenders draws inspiration from the Japanese term 木漏れ日; こもれび; Komorebi. His wife Donata describes this Komorebi as:
Komorebi illustrates Wenders’ dedication to encouraging the audience to recognize and value their surroundings. Komorebi also shines a light on people who are often unnoticed, like the hardworking toilet cleaners. The film uncovers how society tends to overlook or unfairly stigmatize these important jobs and their employees. Meanwhile, throughout the story, Hirayama does not disregard or categorize anyone. Instead, he often acknowledges the people passing by and even at times greets them with a small bow. Through Komorebi and Hirayama’s actions, we are reminded of the importance of appreciating and respecting our surroundings and those with whom we share the same Earth.