What is Perfect Days about? Plot, cast and more explored

Perfect Days is a 2023 film directed by Wim Wenders. Starring Koji Yakusho as a toilet cleaner, the film intertwines four short stories, earning acclaim at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and securing an Academy Award nomination.

At the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, the film competed for the Palme d'Or, eventually winning the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the prestigious Best Actor Award for Koji Yakusho's portrayal of Hirayama.

The film further made history as the first Japanese film directed by a non-Japanese to receive a nomination for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.

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What's the plot of Perfect Days?

The plot of Perfect Days revolves around Hirayama, a public toilet cleaner in Tokyo, whose structured life follows a daily routine starting at dawn. His passion for music, books and trees becomes evident as he dedicates his free time to these things.

Hirayama's life takes an unexpected turn when Takashi, his new less diligent assistant comes into his life. The complications increase when Aya, a young woman with whom Takashi is involved, enters Hirayama's life, to return a cassette Takashi had taken, and it all ends in a surprising thank-you kiss.

Niko, who is Hirayama's niece, comes to him unannounced after running away from his wealthy sister Keiko's house. Hirayama lets Niko come to work with him for the next two days. During this time, the two take photographs of trees in the park and ride bikes together.

However, Keiko eventually comes to pick Niko up. After seeing that Hirayama is a public toilet cleaner, Keiko is shocked and requests him to visit their father, who is ill and living in a home. Despite Keiko's request, Hirayama refuses to visit their father but hugs his sister before she leaves. As Keiko leaves, Hirayama begins to cry.

Takashi abruptly quits his job without giving notice, leaving Hirayama to cover his shift. Later that day, as Hirayama goes to his usual restaurant, he sees the owner hugging a man.

Hirayama quickly leaves, heading to a nearby riverbank where he buys beer and cigarettes. As he sits there, the man he saw at the restaurant approaches and asks him for a cigarette.

The man tells Hirayama that he's the restaurant owner's ex-husband whom she divorced seven years ago. He explains that he visited her to make amends before he dies from cancer and asks Hirayama to look after her.

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Who plays Hirayama in Perfect Days?

Koji Yakusho plays the role of Hirayama. He was born Koji Hashimoto on January 1, 1956, and is a renowned Japanese actor.

He gained international recognition for his roles in various films, including Shall We Dance? (1996), 13 Assassins (2010), The Eel (1997), Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) and Babel (2006).

In the late 1990s, Yakusho achieved critical acclaim for his role in The Eel, directed by Shohei Imamura, which won the Palme d'Or at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. He continued to enjoy success in the following years with notable films like A Lost Paradise.

His more recent work includes his role in The Blood of Wolves (2018) and winning the Best Actor award at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival for Perfect Days.

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The cast of Perfect Days

• Koji Yakusho as Hirayama
• Tokio Emoto as Takashi
• Aoi Yamada as Aya
• Arisa Nakano as Niko
• Yumi Asô as Keiko
• Yasushi Okuwa as Keiko's Driver

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The synopsis for Perfect Days on Totten Tomatoes reads:

"Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Outside of his very structured everyday routine he enjoys his passion for music and for books.

"And he loves trees and takes photos of them. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past. A deeply moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us."

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Perfect Days has been nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards.