Film No. 21 (2024) March 30th. 11:15 AM LUNA LEEDERVILLE, Cine 5, Leederville.
"It's such a perfect day. I'm glad I spent it with you." (The tones of Lou Reed echo through the meditative mind of Hirayama as he goes about his day).
WINNER: Best Actor in a lead role. (Koji Yakusho) Cannes FF 2023. WINNER: Prize of the Ecumenical Jury (Wim Wenders) Cannes FF 2023.
Can a film of such simplicity, hang all of its artistic integrity on the lead performance? Definitely not all, but in the case of PERFECT DAYS, the performance of Yoki Yakusho leaves us with a lasting love of a gentle man.
Try telling a friend you've just seen a wonderful film about the gentle, fulfilling life of a Tokyo toilet cleaner and see how much traction you get. Then mention it will take 124 minutes to deeply appreciate our hero. On face value it's not an easy sell, but don't give up. Films like PERFECT DAYS reminds us why film is so important and why watching can lead us to enjoy new dimensions in understanding the world we live in. Hirayama (Yakusho) is a good man who explores hi-tech Tokyo through, sound, touch, smell and simple observations. His 20 year old flip phone and out dated flash camera say it all.
The fact that Wim Wenders (PARIS TEXAS) is German and shoots this small masterpiece in Tokyo has no bearing on cultural interpretation. Any hi-tech city could form the back drop to this story. Wenders' real masterstroke was casting Yakusho as his lead. 11GUMS.
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