I’ve always thought Asians were an interesting variety of people—namely the Japanese.

Their mannerisms, attention to detail, and endless creativity have held my attention for years now.

They’re the only people to recover from nuclear warfare and regular giant lizard attacks.

Godzilla!!!

Lol.

They are a resilient people.

Further, how they’ve managed to rise from literal ashes is nothing short of miraculous.

Maybe this is what draws hundreds of my fellow weebs to the land of anime and bright, Zordon-esque lights.

However, this week’s review is a nice change of pace.

The slice-of-life film Perfect Days offers a brief snapshot into our protagonist Hirayama’s life and a quiet look at how Japanese society functions.

That being said, let’s get it!

I’m not quite sure how old Hirayama is, but he’s an older gentleman who relishes the simple pleasures of life.

He works as a custodian and genuinely enjoys his work.

In a word, his life is monotonous.

Like clockwork, he rises from bed, waters his plants, imbibes a can of coffee, jams to oldies-but-goodies on his way to work, photographs scenery, frequents public baths, and reads himself to sleep.

Rinse and repeat.

But my question is: what led to this lifestyle?

This job?

Was he once a salaryman who had a nervous breakdown?

Did he see someone happily cleaning other people’s shit (excuse my English) during his crisis and think:

“I could do that.”

My guess is that after some falling out with his sister—who seemed surprised to learn he cleaned restrooms for a living—he simply drifted into the job.

He is content and completely unashamed of his career path.

He’s achieved something most people never do, and I, for one, am jealous.

Maybe it’s my negative coping mechanisms rearing their ugly heads, but I couldn’t live like Hirayama for very long.

Eventually, the urge to try something new would drag me out the door.

If “I don’t want peace, I want problems always” were a person, we’d be thick as thieves.

But I’m working on that, so pray for me, yeah?

Anypoops, my guy’s alarm clock is the street sweeper who rises at some ungodly hour in the morning.

Absolutely mad.

Side Note

I wonder how he got into all those Western songs.

How well does he speak English?

Where did that interest come from?

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what score to give this film.

Sometimes movies don’t have to mean anything.

At least, I don’t think they do.

That seems to be the case with Perfect Days.

It was alright if you enjoy watching an older Japanese man go through life appreciating the little things.

I suppose director Wim Wenders wanted me, the viewer, to appreciate the struggles of a man slowly losing control of his carefully maintained routine.

But so what?

Life is hard. Get a hard hat.

Lol.

No doubt I’ve committed sacrilege, and some hipster film critic would call me a philistine, uninitiated in the ways of art.

But I want my two hours and four minutes back.

I want to be entertained.

I want to laugh.

Perfect Days is alright, I guess.

But it’s not my cup of tea.

Anypoops, I give the film 3 out of 5 rose petals.

Give me feedback.

What did you think of Perfect Days?