Perfect Days

An intimate character study with very little dialogue is hard to pull off when it stretches over two hours. But thanks to an absorbing performance by Yakusho in the lead role, Wim Wenders' Perfect Days proves more than worthy of its Oscar nomination. Nobody speaks at all for the first 10 minutes of this moving drama, and it's nearly half an hour into the film that Hirayama first verbally responds to an adult. The character's world is calm, simple, and unrushed, which is reflected in the way the movie unfolds. He spends his time reading, listening to music, eating and drinking at the same places, tending to his saplings, and admiring the trees, which he photographs and stores in carefully labeled boxes. Everything is intentional, it's a lesson in mindfulness, in appreciating the small things, and finding a haven of contentment amid the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

There are sweet, playful moments when Yakusho's mouth curls slightly up in the corners to express subtly but fully the joy he experiences. An extended scene later on that focuses in on the actor's face as various emotions wash over him drives home why he's such a perfect choice for the role and why he was awarded the Best Actor Award at Cannes. The soundtrack is full of classics made all the more enjoyable through Hirayama's own deep appreciation of them; Van Morrison's Brown Eyed Girl, The Animals' House of the Rising Sun, Feeling Good by Nina Simone. The city itself is beautifully rendered too, with different worlds emerging within, from the cityscape of skyscrapers to underground bars and restaurants, and sunny parks with towering trees that block out the grey buildings nearby. As Hirayama says, "The world is made up of many worlds. Some are connected and some are not." Each person lives in their own little world and by the end of the movie you feel honored to get a glimpse into his.