Richard Crouse

“Perfect Days,” the new, Oscar-nominated film from director Wim Wenders, now playing in theatres, is a contemplative movie that examines the simple pleasures in life. Music, literature and nature are showcased, but this poetic, profound film celebrates finding contentment in all aspects of life.

Veteran Japanese actor Kôji Yakusho is Hirayama, an everyman who leads a quiet life made up of routine and simple pleasures. He wakes up at the same time each day, finds joy in reading poetry and his American punk rock cassette collection and takes pride in his work as a public toilet cleaner.

When he’s not on the clock, he enjoys a sandwich lunch at a local park, soaks at the local bathhouse and occasionally grabs a bite at his favorite restaurant.

His carefully calibrated life hits the occasional hitch when outsiders are added into the mix. An annoying co-worker named Takashi (Tokio Emoto) is always short of cash and his niece Niko (Arisa Nakano) suddenly arrives on his doorstep, upending his life and making him reflect on the past.

“Perfect Days” is not the kind of movie that benefits from a detailed synopsis. Wenders revels in the mundane; the little things that make up a day. It’s a joyful celebration of a quiet life, of finding pride in your work, of taking advantage of simple pleasures.

At the heart of the film is Yakusho. His unpretentious performance brims with empathy, compassion and the understanding of the minutia that makes up a successful, happy life. It’s a deceptively simple performance, but rich in its execution. Yakusho takes an unassuming character and brings him to vivid life by emphasizing the stillness and grace that exemplifies Hirayama, a man of few wants and great appreciations.

“Perfect Days” is a beautiful movie, a film in love with life. It’s a meditative slice-of-life that will leave you feeling better as the end credits roll than you did when you went to the theatre.