Daily life is a repetitive strain syndrome. Sometimes it feels ok, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes, just maybe, it feels great. The beauty of Wenders’ film is the way, in telling the story of Hirayama, a toilet cleaner in Tokyo, he captures this so perfectly. Film is generally about dramatic action. Plot points. Development. Whenever these threaten to appear in Perfect Days, Wenders and co-writer Takaski rein them in. What matters about this film, what makes it special, isn’t what happens. It’s what doesn’t happen. Not many filmmakers get to the point where they’re permitted to explore this kind of vibe. I for one am thankful that in this instance, someone has given Wenders money to do just that. I could watch this film a hundred times and never get bored.
Ps I got a counterpoint to this on my first night back in the UK from Mr Curry, who said that the more he thought about the film the more it got on his nerves. In is view, a film about a toilet cleaner who just happens to have a wealthy background and drives around playing their favourite songs was the kind of project overprivileged males dream up in fancy hotel rooms… and he might have a point…
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