Perfect Days follows a Tokyo toilet cleaner through his almost ritualistic days. For the first part of the movie we are introduced to the various places, people, and things along his route and day.
First we're introduced to the people who use the toilets, who barely if at all acknowledge his existence. But he isn't angry or distraught, and continues on his day no differently than if the weather changed.
Over time we're introduced to people like his family and coworker, his niece wanting to share his world for a few days and understand while she's run away from home.
Eventually his sister comes to retrieve her daughter in a car with a driver, also showing she lives in a different world, and she struggles to see it intersect with his.
Later we are introduced to the people along his after work rituals, learning about their secret lives that don't intersect with his.
But in the end we are greeted by the ex husband of the owner of his favorite restaurant, who drags the worlds together by admitting that he has cancer. They end up playing with each other, letting their worlds intersect no differently than children on a school yard. It seems both are soothed by the connection.
One other note is the soundtrack is filled with great songs used more expertly and consciously than almost any film I can think of. They are almost a character in and of themselves.
First we're introduced to the people who use the toilets, who barely if at all acknowledge his existence. But he isn't angry or distraught, and continues on his day no differently than if the weather changed.
Over time we're introduced to people like his family and coworker, his niece wanting to share his world for a few days and understand while she's run away from home.
Eventually his sister comes to retrieve her daughter in a car with a driver, also showing she lives in a different world, and she struggles to see it intersect with his.
Later we are introduced to the people along his after work rituals, learning about their secret lives that don't intersect with his.
But in the end we are greeted by the ex husband of the owner of his favorite restaurant, who drags the worlds together by admitting that he has cancer. They end up playing with each other, letting their worlds intersect no differently than children on a school yard. It seems both are soothed by the connection.
One other note is the soundtrack is filled with great songs used more expertly and consciously than almost any film I can think of. They are almost a character in and of themselves.