Films are the best innovation ever created. It makes a person believe in a world where there is beauty. It is called cinema therapy. Movies have proved to have a positive effect on people and their mental health.
Movies and cinema are considered sacred spaces where young cinephiles either get inspired or fall in love with the art of making films.
This enjoyment and amusement were through movie theaters, but now times have changed and technology is developing. Nowadays, OTT platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu have produced several heartfelt shows that discover coming-of-age, acceptance and living.
Credits: Wallpaper Cave
Shows like The Bear, Normal People, and One Day discover and redirect the art form of telling a story and this incredible artistic form is visible through the Hulu movie Perfect Days.
The movie beautifully wraps around the theme of individuality and mindfulness, with a pinch of realism.
Life is a series of events that narrates stories in various ways, yet it would sound varied according to people. For instance, one might feel disappointed for missing their bus to work, and stumble upon meeting their friend on their way to work.
This could be either considered a play of fate or they could casually question their responsible behavior and discipline in life. Therefore, how can this one movie be considered as the best Japanese movie that explores mindfulness?
Perfect Days by Wim Wenders
Directed by Wim Wenders and starring Koji Yakusho as the main protagonist Hirayama, the story revolves around the life of a middle-aged toilet cleaner in Tokyo going about his ordinary life and routine.
Now, if you think there is going to be a twist where Hirayama would win a lottery and upstate his living conditions, then you might be wrong. It is a bittersweet, joyful, beautiful narration of reality and the happiness of containment felt by the character that it connects with the audience.
Credits: Universal Cinema
Under the distribution of NEON, the movie widely gained the title of having the theme of mindfulness and realism which is almost missing in other movies. The movie can be considered a quiet and calm movie which speaks a message in a loud voice. What’s the message one may ask? However, if viewed closely, one might see happiness in the character of Hirayama and that happiness in his life brings him CONTAINMENT.
A Life with(out) Limitation.
People are depressed. They are getting disappointed in the things they do. They are alone and fragile. So is the character of Hirayama, it’s not like the man is always a ball of sunshine. It is the fact that he decides to overcome his struggle to truly enjoy the life he has.
The character in the movie makes its audience pause for a second and lets them enjoy their current emotion because it is valid. The emotion makes the living more worthy. That’s pretty mindful though, isn’t it?
The movie shows the difference between Hirayama’s happiness through the characters around him. Set in the bustling city of the Shibuya district, Hirayama works as a toilet cleaner and at night spends his time reading his paperback, however, what he feels about all this is the feel of containment he gets.
This character feature is displayed in him even when he meets his niece who has run away from their rich lifestyle. The bonding between Hirayama and his niece also shows how important simplicity is in life.
Credit: Screen Rant
The movie also brings in the Japanese culture called “komorebi” (sunlight filtered through trees) to decode the beauty of life even through darkness or hardships.
Nothing happens throughout the movie, it quietly follows the life of Hirayama, yet it blends well with realistic expectations and the simplicity of life.
Premiered on 23 May 2023 at the Cannes Film Festival, the movie bagged the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury. It was nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 96th Academy Awards, along with an audience score of 89% on Rotten Tomatoes.
