Unraveling the Meaning of the Final Scene in Perfect Days - review
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- Опубликовано: 20 сен 2024
- #perfectdays #wimwenders #oscars2024
Wim Wender's "Perfect Days" was definitely a movie that I was not expecting to like as much as I did. But as I finished the movie and went online to see what other people thought I realized that most reviewers only saw this movie as a celebration of the beauty of a simpler life and didn't really talk about the meaning of that final scene or the less perfect aspects of these "Perfect Days". So in this review, I'm giving a more in-depth analysis of the character of Hirayama and what I took from the movie. Hope you enjoy!
The point is not he is happy or unhappy but it’s that he accepted that his life and everybody’s life always have happy and unhappy times. As long as he chose the way he lives his life and accepted it, he can wake up every morning and enjoy every moment. Because now is now.
Eligió esa vida y puede ver lo que el mundo no muestra
@@amaliazanardi1835 Why don't you try to answer the question that she asks us. What does the final scene mean? Its easy to project your own hopes for the meaning of happiness onto the movie, but its definitely hubris that makes you think you can just "get" the meaning of this movie on the first try. Try again.
Ima wa ima
@@cyano3d ima wa ashita wo kimeru
@@flymykimdon't think about it. Don't force a meaning. Don't be frustrated. Enjoy 'now'.
I’m a maintenance worker at a museum/nature center. I know every emotion the protagonist feels through personal experience.
Thanks a lot for the work you do
I don't think he is isolated. He goes to eat his dinner everyday to that place underground where people know him and greet him. He goes to that shop where the lady he likes works. He has a coworker who talks to him. I think he enjoys the peace of solitude in his home. A person who is deep down unhappy wouldn't look up at the sky with such childlike joy every morning
I think he's content because he built a "perfect" or structured life for himself. Some people need that and I don't think there's anything wrong with it if that's what makes you happy. However, because he seems to like to be in control of his "perfect" or structured life--I don't think he can handle unexpected things, such as his co-worker's resignation, his niece's visit, the restaurant owner's embrace of her ex-husband, etc. In other words, I don't think he can handle emotional situations because he can't control them. Deep down, I think he enjoyed his co-worker's company (which is probably why he gave him all that money), his niece's company (which is probably why he gave her the book she wanted) and the restaurant owner's company. But there's a price to be paid for human interaction which I think he needs but doesn't want. IMO this is why I found the ending both happy and sad. Happy because he's living the life he wants (control) but sad because he's not living the life that he needs (human interaction). This was my favorite film of 2023.
he’s pretty isolated...he has no real immediate close intimate relationships...just passing fleeting ones...people who know you that work at a restaurant, don’t really know you
You didn't understand. He is IN JAPAN . Where you do not have friends and hardly any family. Very lonely people. Google hikikomori. Compared to that he has an incredible social life.
@@rono6950 I'm pretty sure after the events of this movie, he can reconnect with others again.
@@rono6950 I felt the same things when I'm isolated to the people, The happiness of being alone is really good and u forget about people. But when I realize how many memories I missed that my friends shared I feel like I'm missing the life. It is the thing that makes me feel like I have to connect to people and I appreciate that feeling. If I don't follow that feeling I will end up in a life I can control and feel happy when I'm alone but I will feel sad when I realize how much I missed my friend and my potential. What If I worked harder on something I don't wanna do Instead of being pleasant with what I got. I think being unpleasant is a good thing too
He's not happy, he is just accepting the present and tries to find joy in it. I felt his character spoke to me. My mom passed away 3 months ago. But I find or try to find joy in little things like listening to her playlist while driving.
So sorry to hear about you mom. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and how the movie connected with you
That's how you heal appreciate the little things because that's all we have in the end...
i felt similar to exactly what you said...he wasnt happy, but making the most of his life, living day to day in the moment
This broke my heart reading this. It's very much what I did when my mom died. I had just started working at the hospital she was treated at, and for the first 3 months at least, I went through every day, dedicating myself to the minutiae of my tasks, instead of the bigger issues. His face at the end just crushes me. It's how I felt, realizing what was actually happening, and how I really felt, despite starting the new position, and pretending to be fulfilled by every motion of each day. I eventually made peace and worked through it, but it's very hard to see anything the same way
So sad 😞 😔 my friend same me also I lost My mom 😢😢🫂💔
In my view the key to the last scene, in fact, to the whole movie is Komorebi. The fluctuating expressions of happiness, sadness, joy, regret, hope, etc. that flash over Hirayama's face are no different than the play of light and shadows filtering through trees. Seeking happiness is ultimately futile because it is so fleeting. So is sadness. But appreciating the ups and downs of life can perhaps bring about a certain kind of quiet joy.
"Flowers fall amid our longing, weeds flourish in our loathing "
- Dogen
So beautiful, this observation
You put it very well!
that's exactly how I saw that last scene - "the play of light and shadows filtering through the trees" 🤍
I came up to the same conclusion. He is komorebi. All his light is pouring out like a kaleidoscope of light. Every other emotion mixing with the next one in a beautiful changing swirl.
The scene where he saw his sister broke my heart. It perfectly captures the isolation when can feel from even their own family when we live such different lives and don't live up to their expectations. She asks about his job and once it's confirmed she judges him harshly and asks no other questions about him even though he desperately wants to connect with her.
Are you sure he wants to connect with her?
I perceived it quite different. He seems so content and able to live his life fully, even more as people with way more achievements and money. His sister didnt felt content and happy.
The fact that he cried just showed that he is still human and not awakened but able to take the pain and accepts this as part of life.
He accepts that he is different to her.
I believe he cries because he is regretful about not being able to have a relationship with his family because of the conflict that their expectations cause-this is what the whole movie is about, the fact that the way he is living is in direct contrast to what society expects-no one can believe he is happy, and I think that makes him question his own happiness, and that is what makes him sad!
Why can’t people just let others be happy? (Maybe because there’d be no economy?)
@@chezsuziewow. The sister was clearly judging him with so much "success". A chauffer, fancy car, fancy clothes. But she wasn't happy. She was burdened by her own daughter experiencing life. I think you're totally right with this take.
@@mrchiefbs I think she was just surprised. The money is not hers, it's family money, but he ran away of that life because an abusive father (who "doesn't act like that" anymore because he is senile).
This is the first review I saw where someone agrees with me. Hirayama prefers to keep people at an arm's distance; small and simple interactions, often accompanied by financial transactions, are his preferred way of socialization. The subway diner he likes to go to for a drink and a quick bite, the old men at the sauna that he enjoys being around but not approaching (even though it looks like he wants to sometimes), and most importantly, the lady that owns the small bar he went to every weekend. Those moments that he carefully chose for himself show how he enjoys human connection but is still afraid of it. He does not want to get hurt, so he avoids any situation that might cause him pain. His coworker, who caused him a lot of frustration and irritated him a lot, was also the reason we saw him laugh out loud. I think he believes that a simple life without the ups and downs and roller coasters of emotions that human interaction might cause is the key to happiness. But I feel like he is lying to himself. He is a fictional character but i wish him happiness.
Absolutely! You speak exactly what I was thinking... so many of the mainstream reviews totally missed this
What makes you think that he chose that life because he is afraid of human connection ?
@@snorrevonflake because i could see the huge difference in his happiness level when he actually got to interact with humans despite his efforts to avoid them. And it took time for him to adjust back to his lonely lifestyle when those brief moments of connection passed by. Yet still that was not enough to encourage him to get out of his shell. When the ex-husband of the bar owner he went to on the weekends tried to encourage him to approach her, he kept dodging him and insisted on keeping the conversation on a fun, surface level. To me that just shows that he thinks his life would be better if he just did not confess his feelings to her. But human connection is not something we can choose to neglect, its part of our instinct just like eating and breathing.
meu deus você definiu perfeitamente o que eu senti com o filme 😭❤️ obrigada por isso!!
The last scene when he fight to not to cry while driving and put a forced smile on his face is the masterpiece and in my opinion sums all up. I like your interpretation. The fact that he stuck in analogue era shows that something happened in the past which changed him. He somehow stuck in the past, and live in the present as an observer withdrawn from society
Very deep understanding of the film. As a teacher, I had the opportunity to embark on two concepts in class: wabi sabi (the art of impermanence) and Ikigai (the reason you get up in the morning) and one of my students commented about this film. I'm so grateful I was curious enough to watch it, cause it moved me to the core. I felt myself a bit uncomfortable at the beginning, I wanted to see something striking in or out, but happening at last! But curiously, I remained waiting for the next day to unfold and the next song he would play on his way to work. And, it opened my eyes to the simple things and the beauty that dwells in the eyes of the observer. A film that will live in me for a long long time
This is the first time I have heard that IKIGAI is of interest to people outside of Japan.
It is a popular concept in Japan, but many people in contemporary Japan have lost sight of their own IKIGAI.
They are so busy with work and study that there is a strong sense that they are doing it out of a sense of obligation, not because they want to.
Nico may be a symbol of this.
When I asked my Japanese friends what they thought of the film, they said that the style of enjoying the small things in daily life, as Hirayama does, was fresh and cleansing. It will be very interesting for Japanese to see how it looks to foreign audiences.
From the Japanese
I didnt think if he was happy or not, everybody is happy and unhappy at the same time. The point is to notice the life and love it with their sad and joyful moments. That is the beautiful of the life, feel it. And if you dont cry when Nina sings you arent alive.
exactly, the idea of perfect life is not just about bluntly happy but to embrace the different layers and emotional experiences entirely, in a proper Zen Buddhism fashion, and being as much present in the moment. Even the fact that he's not as talkative is born from the fact that the emotional overhaul and satisfactions that he engage from a life that is simplified and limited, amplifies his satisfaction and feeling towards interactions and general living, not just in a sensorial sense, so it's not that he feels that much of a regrets on his life
@@lucazupancic9196 for me the a to embrace the different layers but not need to be in a mood zen. That depends only of your character, you can truly live without any zen in your life.
Such a gem of a film. The main actor couldn't have been better... perfect for the role. The last scene was so beautiful. And the lack of closure made it even more palpable.
Some people don't get the opportunity to change what has made them unhappy, therefore make the best of what they have. You can't eradicate all unhappiness in life by your will . That's what I like about this film. He found contentment in the reality of his life. Which is a good lesson to learn
I don't think he is so content. I think he is conflicted inside which shows the last scene.
He *chose* this humble simple life. He comes from a Rich family. Just look at his sister: elegant high Class clothes, hairstyle, makeup; expensive chauffeured car, she *despises* his job (the lowest one you can find in Japan), the humble neighbourhood, his crummy apartment.
Life is hard, yet he tries to celebrate it with little sparkles. Still, there is sadness in his eyes when he smiles. The last scene is really heartbreaking.
Thanks for sharing this! I like your viewpoints
Thank you! It means a lot that you liked it. I love to hear what other people felt and took from the movie and your point of view is really beautiful!
A fine review, young lady. As a 55-year old bachelor I definitely "got" this film and you did too: Live your own individual truth.
This movie made me think for many days after watching it.
Not knowing the exact details of Hirayama’s backstory wasn’t necessary.
We all experience life’s trials and tribulations.
Wisdom and knowledge can be a double-edged sword, bringing both enlightenment and a burden of understanding the difficulties and sorrows inherent in human existence.
The last scene drove it home for me.
My wife is born and raised in Tokyo so I get the Japanese lifestyle.
My new daily mantra is “Kondo wa Kondo, Ima wa ima”
I got very emotional at the end of the movie. I don’t think he wants more, I think he loves everything about his life and every detail of it, even taking pictures of the light passing through the leaves. Yet feeling lonely is hard when one is lonely and he is very much on his own, but yet again kondo wa kondo ima wa ima.
Happiness is a balance between being and becoming. He and his sister are two extremes that lack the other. In the end, he invited some becoming into his life and realized how much he had been missing it, thus the mixture of sadness and happiness.
As an introvert and routine person, I think a lot of extroverts try to force the "he was sad" because they don't get that people can actually enjoy solitude. Happiness and sadness can occur with or without company. And enjoying company doesn't always transfers to having to be in a relationship. You can enjoy sharing with people in other simple ways. Just because he cries at the end it doesn't mean he is miserable, I think. People with extrovert and social lived can be unhappy too, and for so many reasons. There are days when you feel nostalgic and reflect on life, but it doesn't makes it a bad life. Sometimes we just analyze our lives on metrics that don't work for all of us. He felt sad when his sister felt bad for him, but because to her standards it's not ok, yet her daughter is not happy living the luxurious life and enjoyed her time with his uncle. Trying to say happy vs sad is just seeing life in black or white, while he appreciated the greys, the light and shadow and saw beauty in it.
THANK YOU!! I'm looking for this kind of perspective from this movie
💯 agree!
wow such a beautiful interpretation and perception..."we analyze our lives on metrics that dont work for all of us"..:))
As an extreme introvert myself, I find that the only time I feel sad about how I live my life is when others question it and make me feel abnormal for it. I don’t think he was sad because he missed his family-I think he was sad because he couldn’t have a healthy relationship with them. It’s obvious that he wasn’t even living up to his sister’s expectations. He doesn’t like drama-which is hard to avoid in relationships with other people. This is why he likes his solitary job, doesn’t have any friends, is estranged from his own family, and lives alone. It’s not at all what we’re taught to aim for in life-in fact it’s exactly contrary to what society says we need to be happy, so it’s hard to believe that he is happy. I believe this is why he’s conflicted. The people he is surrounded with-literally everyone-makes him question his own happiness.
Excellent review! So well spoken and nicely paced. Plus your observation about the main character's struggles with intimacy is right on (and is something I had not seen in other reviews). But he does NOT struggle in his aloneness (which is different from loneliness). He's good at it and enjoys it. He is full of patience, compassion and simplicity -- the three gems, says Lao Tsu.
Thanks so much for your thoughtful thoughts. I think that he did make a lot of peace with his past by making huge decisions about how he wants to live. And his constant and consistent presence in others people life (niece and bar owner) tell me a lot about his feelings. The question that comes up to me is about life changes, and there is where I’m not sure about how he can embrace that. Also the well organized, clean and all in place Japan life, helps him to keep things the same way. Not sure if that could happen elsewhere. 😊
In Mama's restaurant, customer number 1 gossips about customer number 2's divorce, and asks "if he can be happy while alone".
It seems the movie wants us to direct that question to the protagonist, and continue asking the same question all through out the movie.
I think this is something the protagonist is constantly having to grapple with too because the rest of the world is constantly telling him that he can’t possibly be happy living the way he does.
Amazing video, though I don't think that he is isolated or by any means hesitant in letting other people come into his life, I believe he has experienced almost everything and found what really matters, which is the moment that exists. As far as the scenes with his sister, niece suggests that he is open to spend time with them, but not at cost of changing his own way of life. And the bar scene you mentioned in the end actually depicts the way Hirayama thinks, remember in the end the ex husband of the bar owner says he is gonna die and he still doesn't know if a shadow gets darker, something like that and Hirayama explains with by doing that it doesn't matter. I feel film suggest through the character of Hirayama that it really your perspective that changes the world, it's not about being happy or sad but being in peace with oneself.
Again that's just interpretation, btw great video ❤️🙌
Thank you for giving us such a nuanced interpretation. I think in the end he is accepting more completely this life he has chosen-- so different form his past. When he sees his sister he is reminded of their class differences and he mourns that a bit (he cries), their estrangement but in the last scene he accepts this new life that he is putting together. Let's not forget that while he cleans those immaculate toilets, he reads Faulkner at night (one of the most difficult writers) thus he is a complex person figuring things out for himself. A remarkable movie that makes of the quotidian something amazing!
hmmm he didnt mourn of the class differences , the director already mention , in his youth , he was born with a silver spoon , matter of fact ,he was happy with what basic stuff he had
I agree. Ultimately, he becomes more accepting of the life he has chosen. In the scene where he meets his sister, he lacks confidence in his situation. However, by the final scene, he decides to embrace the reality he has created for himself. In an interview, Yakusho Koji mentioned that the script contained stage directions stating, 'Tears are flowing from his eyes, but he does not seem to be sad,' and 'he is heading to the workplace that he chose for himself.'
We watched it tonight and found it amazing. The final scene where he is driving and going through all of the emotions is ABSOLUTELY ICONIC! I was a little on the periphery of the Berlin film, Wings of Desire when I lived in Berlin, and I loved it, but Until the End of the World is my absolute favorite movie.
To be truth worthy I’m still pretty new to Wim Wenders’ movies but I’ve read a lot of people talking about those two movies so they are definitely on my watch list!
The entire movie is about a man living his life exactly how he wants to. I believe the conflict he is feeling comes from the fact that others are not accepting of the way he has chosen to live. The fact that others think there’s something wrong with him/how he’s living is the source of all his unhappiness.
Thank you for your video. You gave me the chance to reflect upon this with your thoughts in mind.
This film resonates with me a lot. I too accepted a life that was seemingly smaller than the one I could have had and I have done every single thing I did because I wanted to. In a meaningful way that I do not need to show off. I also take pictures of things that other people often take for granted. I decided to speak less because being silence was better for me than the alternative: speaking and being misunderstood or unheard.
The ending scene is a kaleidoscope of all of the emotions he feels at the same time. We are seeing the light coming through the leaves from within himself. It is a fleeting moment that will happen only in that second. Hopeful enough. Destroyed by the intensity of the beauty of things, holding the idea of others until it gives him joy and longing. He is Komorebi himself, you do not need all of the bright sun to be alive. You can cherish the light that comes through at any time.
Searching for joy among the mediocre horrors of life is truly a path to knowing. And knowing might just help others. And that is a recipe for happiness that lasts in my experience.
I like this comment the best.
As an aspiring filmmaker / writer myself, we learn that the art of storytelling has certain standards, universal rules, dare I say formulas where characters must clearly want something and struggle to get it. An inciting incident, a turning point, a point of no return, all is lost moment etc. Story beats that must be hit at key moments to keep the audience engaged.
Auteur filmmakers ignore these rules. That's the beauty of art films, it challenges our notions of what cinema is. I try to watch such films regularly to counter the influence of Hollywood-Netflix. I must say very few leave a lasting impression on me.
Perfect days did it for me. It's not a mindless ride of adrenaline rush, a shock film or artsy for the sake of being artsy and weird. It makes you pause and wonder about your own life and experience as a human. Despite not having a lot going on it is engaging because it does not give you all the answers of a fully executed story where all is laid out for you. It leaves you to fill in the gaps and no one is right or wrong in their interpretation.
No matter what the director's intention was or the actors' interpretation in their performance. As the viewer, we give it the meaning we want and they are all valid. It creates an impetus for reflection and conversation with friends. That is true art for me.
The closing scene forces us to put ourselves in Hirama's shoes and ponder what such a life would mean to us and by extension, reflect on our own personal life. How do we feel about our own life? Is it happiness, content, regrets, sadness etc. or perhaps a mix of everything?
I was thinking the same, the movie shows a man who meditate the whole day. It seems to me he lives his lives with a big awareness
Im feeling good. The song selection is so perfect actually matching with the moral of the story
Hirayama is humble, compassionate, attentive. He gave money that he needed for his supper when he was asked to, to someone that did not deserve it. He is grateful for everything he has. To me, his face showed gratitude, joy and hope. We know he must have suffered terribly but he had let go and was filled with hope. You can't always reconcile past trauma but with gratitude comes healing and hope.
On a lighter note, the Japanese Public Restroom Project is really coming up with some very creative and beautiful public restroom designs.
Amazing review. I had to dig to find this video so I could see that there were people who could see the deeper meaning of this film. The mainstream media review articles really flopped in that regard. Subscribed!
Thank you for this very insightful review that made me appreciate the film even more. The film touched my grieving heart especially because it echoed my late husband's practice of finding joy in simple things (the chop wood, carry water koan of Zen).
I really appreciated your considered interpretation of this beautiful film. You’ve raised some really good ideas for us to ponder. For me, the interesting thing that I’d like to add to this conversation are questions about his unexplained backstory/ subtext, that sits behind Hirayama’s present. For example, his sister mentions their father who is getting old /unwell and that Hirayama should see him, suggesting that their Dad won’t be so violent or angry now. Strangely this remind me a little bit of Steven Soderbergh 1989 film Sex, Lies, and Videotape - where the central protagonist is attempted to simplify his life, but then returns to his hometown. Maybe Hirayama is slowly working towards his own resolutions, hence the road and the sunset motif the mentioned.
One other thing of note that I’d like to mention . There are numerous brief encounters with people throughout the film which they do not feel compelled to develop or resolve for us. It is enough to know how he responds to these moments..
The final scene is in my view is just a depiction of life and how it influences us and leaves its marks in our souls. The true wisdom of Hirayama lies in embracing good and bad experiences equally witch acceptance and openness.
He always look at the trees because he reflects himself on that metaphor. While the other scenario is when he looks at the tower building while cannot look properly because he will only realize he could have done better (the tree represents comfort zone and the tower building represents his regrets). This is only my opinion.
I believe the final scene shows happiness and sadness because of his encounter with the man with Cancer. His self discipline was extraordinary.
The fact that Perfect Day, by Lou Reed, especially in the instrumental version that play in the credits, has a very melancholic melody and harmony (while the lyrics present positive images) is coherent with your interpretation.
I have just finished viewing the movie few minutes ago.
I do think (and feel!) that you make the point about the overall analysis & on the last scene. This gives me an extra layer of appreciation about that movie.
Sometime we have to put aside our analytical mind, and just feel.
Which is beautiful with that movie is that one can do feel it like we feel life, this is not something to be analyzed but to be felt.
In this way, this is a complete success.
Well said and wrapped up. Bravo !
This is a refreshingly intelligent and insightful appraisal of a truly excellent film. Thank you.
A very thoughtful inspection of the ambuiguity of this beautiful film. I had a long discussion with my wife about exactly the question you bring forward and we watched your reflections with great interest.
I loved this movie when I saw it in theaters earlier this year. Thank you for making this fantastic video solidifying things I was thinking about while watching the film. Keep up the great work!
I believe Hirayama is completely fulfilled & at peace. Our lives should not be about trying to be happy. We all experience pain & suffering. It is unavoidable.
We all have a choice to make in life. How many people walk around passing on their pain & suffering to others? Most of us! Hirayama does not do this. He eases the suffering of those around him. Look what he did for everyone who he has contact with throughout the movie! So obvious!
He is not anti-social. He's quiet. He speaks when necessary, anything else is fluff. He's a great man. You can see Mama likes him and they have a connection. There's no evidence in the film to suggest their relationship will not go further.
He is in the now. He is at One with The Way (universe/Tao). He is his own master.
He lives a life of perfect days!
I believe that goal of our life is exactly to be happy. He literally stuck in analogue era and withdrawn from human connections lacking a lot of real life experiences.
I believe the last scene might be a symbol of him being conflicted. He might be aware of the experiences he is missing and the fact that he will in fact die alone.
Yet he developed habits to find an inner peace. I know people like that. They are unhappy. Just buried a lot of emotions and experiences within.
One particular scene that many audiences missed was the conversation between the protagonist and the ex-husband of the restaurant owner under the bridge. Upon learning his cancer diagnosis, the ex-husband wondered if "shadows become darker when overlapped" and that "many things remain a mystery" even at the end of his life, Hirayama instead invited him to a game of "shadow tag".
I believe the filmmaker is trying to convey that horrible things happen to people without reasons, and this relates to the estrange relationships between Hirayama and his father/sister. Rather than trying to parse the meanings of life's many misfortunes and sadness, it may be better to take a light-hearted approach and enjoy the joy found within the seemingly mundane moments of our lives. That to me was a beautiful message.
I didn't agree with you at all initially. But upon rewatch I can definitely see something. As he drives away to work you always see the artificial glow of the light used to keep his tree garden alive and thriving. I feel like this is a metaphor for his life.
you are right mate. I just watched the movie yesterday. In reality this is a very ver profund movie, only if you have been in his shoes you can understand what is going with him and his soul. He is contempt and trying to hang on in there, trying to find joy and happiness in his day to day. However, he is very very lonely, he ask himself about his decisions that have bring him to today, perhaps he has many regrets and guilts and the same time he wants to be happy. The movie is way more complex and the character is so profound.
This was a great analysis. The ending left my a little confused what to make of it. Your insight helped to get a better understanding.
I think that what happened in the past informs his now seemingly simple routine driven life and his apparent happiness with the day to day. But I feel like he lives in the shadow of whatever it is that happened to estrange him from his family and that if he doesn't stay with his routine and his living in the moment, he could easily loose his found contentment. My guess would be that he is a recovering alcoholic as alcohol is a huge problem in Japan and destroys many lives. If he lets his routine slip, or forgets his gratitude he may go back to drinking and loose what he has worked hard to gain...but there is a grain of regret also in his character that he knows he has to live with. The final scene is a reminder of how far he has come but also that he could fall. A very fine balancing act.
I felt so understood by this review. Great take on the parts that conform of Hirayama. I still think that he experienced a very strong bulk of emotions at the end, neither cheerful nor sad.
This movie is probably the most overlooked best film of the year. I saw many great movies in 2023, but this one even though was the simplest of them all, was the one that impacted me the most and the one that I will watch again from time to time. I have watched it more than once and Everytime, I get more out of it and appreciate it even more. Those are the signs of a future all time classic.
i just finished watching it for the very first time and my thoughts were exactly same as yours, very beautiful interpretation and breakdown. you deserve more viewers.
Thank you so much for the comment and the support! It’s great to hear that other people also had the same interpretation!
अभी ये फिल्म देखी। फिर आखिरी सीन समझने के लिए यूट्यूब पर सर्च किया,तो आपका वीडियो दिखा।
आप बहुत ही समझदार, बौद्धिक,संवेदनशील, सुंदर इंसान हैं। मुझे बहुत खुशी है कि इतनी देर तक आपकी बातों को सुनने का मौका मिला,जो आपने फिल्म के बारे में बताने के लिये की हैं।
मैं भी अपना यूट्यूब चैनल खोलना चाहता हूं, मैने पूरे समय आप में अपने आप को ही देखा।
From- India
A night before the last scene he had a conversation with a man who’s going to die, the shadow tag play was kind of a metaphor that life is the way we see it.
The last scene however seemed to me as if he is finally healed by his tough past and also the song “i’m feeling good” reassures that director is pointing at his new life.
IDK, maybe it’s much deeper. But that’s how art is, subjective. And that’s what I liked about this film. The audience gets to choose what they want to take away.
The whole movie gets us into a deep scenario about the life of a simple man. It's the kind of movie that makes us think about it so many times after we watch it, and this is so beautiful. Everything in this movie is brilliant, fascinating, and magnificent, and you described it very accurately. Excellent review, and I liked it so much. Thanks for sharing your viewpoints with us. Keep up.
Thank you for your comment and the support! I think you are absolutely right, this movie definitely stayed with me and I keep coming back to many parts of it.
My brother and I were discussing the film and about the lonely feeling that men deals with every day. Most people do not understand that Life runs because of a lot of man (of course women too, but I am focusing on the films inner messaging) that follows routine lives, those that keep it clean, keep it running, keep it going. 😢 It is a very beautiful film and definitely changes you, if you allow it ❤
The older I get the more I recognize myself in him as well. I decided to become sober 2 years ago, turn my life around, and now spend most of my time alone. But I'm ok with that, I used to be mostly by myself as a kid, I believe it's just my nature.
I like your tone of voice, as you do your review. Very soothing. Happiness is not a state of being. It's a collection of happy moments that are temporary, just like sadness. The secret is to make the most of them while they last.
Very good review, compared to some other reviews, it feels like you really watched the film.
Thank you so much! I completely agree with your ideas about this movie, and have been surprised and a little disappointed by what I feel are too simplistic interpretations of it. I don’t have anything to add, I feel like you covered all the points that I’ve considered, the need for control coming from a place of pain being foremost- but not discussed as much. Thank you for your thoughtful review!❤️
Sensitive review. Very insightful. Congratulations! And thanks!
our tears acknowledge all that is missing in that moment
The song playing during that last scene is Nina Simone's "Feeling Good." To "feel good" can be taken in a couple of ways. I think it means that Hirayama is in a place of profound allowing (surrender?) that naturally cultivates a depth of feeling. That is, to feel better (deeper), you need to feel (verb) better (adverb). This is shown by the large range of emotions that he feels during the film - emotions that he does not try to escape (an egoic strategy). Deep feeling is far more satisfying than mere happiness. To feel deeply one must get out of the way (i.e. be ecstatic - "stand outside of one's self). A perfect day is not necessarily a day filled by happiness, but a day deeply felt in all its expressions. I've spent a lot of time in Japan and the other thing I felt was that this character was SO Japanese! But the film also has overtones of Western Romanticism too, imho.
I watched this yesterday with my kids … one of them
mentioned the final scene. My view was that he is content, if not always happy, and that all of us carry around some sadness.
I think you nailed it: the movie isn't suggesting this dude has cracked the code or something, that we should all be striving for lives of ordered simplicity, but that every life -- and all the perfect days it may or may not hold -- offers happiness, sadness, laughter, anger, a veritable 'Inside Out' of emotion that comes at some kind of cost no matter our outlook or station. What a rich, nowhere-near-as-simple as it appears movie.
Outwardly, his life looks perfect, just like the title suggests. Only if we look deeper, we can notice there are things he misses and maybe would even want a change, but he is trapped in routine, just like most of us.
Some people find comfort in being alone with only a few social contacts here and there; for them, this is their natural equilibrium . While the optics of that mightn't gel with what many consider normal, this is the way it is. I know this, become I am one, and can relate to this film. I often question it, and am unable to answer for the way I am ; its just the way it is.
Very insightful review of a perfect film. Hirayama's contentment is so striking, but you're absolutely right that he sees that he is missing something.
Thank you for this video.♥ I had the same feeling at the end of the video that while Hirayama is lovely, his solitude leads to isolation from significant relationships in his life. While that is his choice, I finished the film with a bit of sadness at his state. I agree that we are seeing Hirayama along his journey of healing, maybe not at its final conclusion.
As cliche as it may sound, my takeaway from this movie is that we should accept that some things in life are beyond our control. It's okay to let go of the past if it brings you peace. Instead of worrying about the future, focus on living in the moment. The film also highlights that happiness and fulfillment can often be found in what many consider mundane.
Your review was very insightful. Thank you.
Thank you for this review! At first, this final scene has punched me hard - I felt that maybe everything before it was a lie, and he is not content at all? But now I agree that there is more to it, and even though his life has its dark deeps, it doesn’t mean his enjoyment of the moment is fake or doesn’t help him find some sorts of contentment. It still was pretty hard though, since I’ve expected a very light movie everyone has been talking about :DD
A thought provoking review. Well done. One reflection about the scene with his sister. I'm not sure I exactly agree with the way you frame it as demonstrating how much he misses the sister 'even if he isn't ready to face the past and mend things between them'. The way I see it is that although he probably does 'miss' his sister in a sense, and deep down wishes that they could be deeply reconciled and reunited, he also recognises the reality that this is not always possible. Not everything can be fixed just because one wants it.The reason he hugs her 'desperately' in my opinion - in the hug I see a combination of feelings of love, regret and loss, pain and sadness, and possibly forgiveness. I notice that she is restrained in her response, though there is definitely some mutual feeling. Of course no interpretation of this can be definitively correct - we of course inevitably bring our own experiences to our interpretations, but we also cannot know what lies outside the story, only try only interpret behaviour within the context of the wider story. In this regard for me my interpretation of this scene is consistent with the flickering range of emotions on show in the last scene. To me they reflect the realisation that while there is beauty and moments of joy in life, but there is also inevitably also tragedy and loss. A perfect day and a perfect life needs to encompass both.
I think you're making too much of the past having an influence on that last scene. I teared up when I was watching the expressions on his face, because those expressions encapsulated the emotional range of finding contentment with the beautiful mystery of your human existence - the ups and downs, the exquisite and the banal, the discipline and the freedom, the beauty in the most mundane.... and then there is always the light through the trees.
I think he has started his own journey of healing from his past traumas and started fulfilling his life by escaping from comfort zone..
Loved the movie - and I loved your interpretation. Well done. I think the ending is one of the most challenging in recent cinema - because I do not think Hirayama knew himself what he was thinking, let alone feeling. For me, I tend to think of it more as him existing in the now, but struggling to find cohesion/security with a world that is paved with the past (which he seems to have rejected). It is more an existential collision between his comforting world-view (yes, he controls his own now), and those lives that intersect with it. I think he cries for loss; the loss of those moments to time; but laughs for the fact that those moments are forever replaced/reborn. It's such a moving final scene - and well deserving of all the accolades. And the movie itself was one of the most satisfying cinema experiences I've had in a long time.
Edit - for me personally, I think there's a very strong vibe to a very old book (Hojoki - or the 10 foot square hut; or at least the later part of the book)... a tale of someone secluding themselves away to learn how to become part of the world through the moment. The author Chomei also came from a family of privilege; which he rejected to become a hermit.
It's about acceptance, good attitude, and constant self reflection.
Thank you for that brilliant analysis.
The ending was very ambiguous. Methinks he is realizing that he is merely a shadow of his former self...and trying his best to accept his present situation...because now is now. The protagonist still dwells on his "heydays" of his Past. I also believe that he had taken for granted his earlier life and is making up for lost time by trying to live in the moment. We all wish that we could go back in time...so listening to retro cassette tapes is the next best thing. I myself am lost in 2024 and I really miss the 1980s so much that I have a playlist of nostalgia every morning as I start my day. I am stuck in the Past...but am also trying my best to enjoy 2024...the "now is now".
You should check out "Tokyo Sonata" a similar film by another director. Similar simple life, basic level work topic.
Just saw the trailer and I can definitely see the similarities. Thank you for the recommendation!
I liked this review. It was also very important to me the scenes where many things changes: The tree outside his window that appeared next to apparently new electric wires, the place that an old man asked if he remembered what it used to be and the woman from the restaurant asking once "why can´t things remain the same?" I felt that it was the first catalyst for all the emotions he passed through at the end of the movie. The second was the man with cancer, I think it remind him that he himself is going to die. I think that both things made him think about all the things that the creator of this video said related to his relationship with others.
I think he is happy because he doesn't take things for granted and appreciates art and beauty, like good books, good music, a beautiful sunny day, or komorebi. He is just living in the present moment. And when you live in the "now", you don't need to worry about the past or future.
I don’t think this movie is about happiness, I think it’s about content. He is trying to be content in the last scene, it’s hard to do sometimes even for Hirayama who we would think this comes easily to. We will all have regret and anxieties, but we can still try to accept them and look at the sunrise.
What a wonderful video essay of this incredible film! Thank you!
Thank you, it means a lot that you liked it!
Great review. Thank you. I wondered at the last scene as well, it was that tears ? but you put the words to it. What I take out it, is Joy is a mix of sadness, it comes from sadness.
What a wonderful explanation, thank you
A little late to this film, but no less impressed. I think this film was remarkable in its simplicity and depth. I believe there are some themes in this movie that are uniquely Japanese and may be missed by Westerners. For example, the theme of cleanliness is a huge part of the Shinto religion, and I found Hirayama's rigid exterior surprisingly non-judgmental, flexible and loving (and quiet) - an ex- Monk's life perhaps? There are hints. Wim left me with a lot of unanswered questions. Hirayama's old-school routine was an ode to a time that almost doesn't exist anymore. Millennials need to watch and understand the deep meaning of this movie. It it a cry in the dark for Wim Wenders. Contemplation equals humility equals humanity perhaps? It's the best I can come up with right now. Hirayama's cassettes and flip phone was not accidental.
This film made me cry because it reminded me of something my late mother always emphasized - that every job is important; that the lowest among us are often the most important. It was just beautiful and sublime. It is the kind of movie that the art of film was meant for.
Loved your review! For me the end made me think about loneliness and the changes in life.
Happy and at peace are not the same thing. For Hirayama this is the story about making peace with himself, with his past.
If you don’t deal with the past it revisits you in the present by repeating some cue elements that have not been dealt with. Those past unresolved issues become unwittingly present and affect your future.
Once you have healed your wounds properly some will not leave marks in you, some will scar, some will leave a disability that hinders your life. You learn to accept how life has changed you and live it as well as possible.
If you leave a wound with a bandage on it (by not healing the past), it will fester, have blood loss or plasma or pus exuding from it and eventually make you worse off, or lifeless.
I believe that this character has had some devastating life changes due to his family history, and is coming to terms with his life, acknowledging the pain it has caused him and the adjustments it has entailed.
He is able to heal and start loving and enjoying life again.
His work and routine have helped him redignify his life by respecting its ebb and flow and making cleaning a passion ingrained in Japanese culture).
He is beginning to dance with life: the shadow on darker shadow is evaded by playing a game of tag.
At the meeting under the bridge the main character helps the dying man to avoid the darkness (shadow on shadow) of dying by making fun of it, playing a game and enjoying what is left of his life.
The dying man begs him to look after his ex-wife and gives Haryaki (sp?) a purpose to explore the relationship further. Who knows where it will lead him on his road to enjoyment of his new life.
His last scene, I believe, are all his reactions to the emotions evoked by recalling his week as he is driving. His pride in doing a job well done, his help in reuniting the little boy with his mother, the encounter with his co-worker’s girlfriend, his deep reading, his pleasure in the beauty of nature, his enjoyment of good music, his comforting routines, his acquaintances in the diners and the parks he goes to, his fond and respectful relationship with his niece and her appreciation and willingness to spend more time with him, catching up with his wealthy and critical sister whom he still loves and misses, realizing he is getting older and that another man is already facing an early death and showing him how to play and enjoy what’s left of his life, an open invitation to be close to a woman with whom there is already an interest, the ups and downs of life! For me the film ends on a very positive note! (Music and title too: Perfect Days!!!)
I've loved your analisis, thank you.
Hirayama seemed happy in the first half, but I think his present life is like a shadow. He does not believe that shadows are good, yet he believes that a life in the shade has meaning.
Therefore, he insisted, "If you put shadows on top of shadows, the shadows should be even darker." If the shadows were not to change, it would mean that shadows have no value.
He may believe that light and KOMOREBI can exist because of shadows.
Both "Perfect Day" and "Feeling Good" are dark in tone, contrary to the lyrics. I found myself wanting to believe the line "You're going to reap just what you sow." But will that wish come true?
from Japanese
My exact feelings. I think he is unhappy deep inside. It seems like he removed himself from society and just trying to go by. In my opinion he is like many many people who were too afraid to risk in life, and are stuck. He lives in the analogue era. It is a proof that he withdrawed from society about three decades ago. He needs to have a daily habits, and focus on today as there is no future nor the past for him. He probably lost his hope to create any meaningful connections. Sad movie to me. Very sad. I am approaching 40. Been left by my ex-fiancee. I am scared of loneliness and this is really dark scenario to me.
"Where then is happiness to be found? In doing what man's nature requires. How then will he do this? If he holds fast to principles upon which impulses and actions depend. What principles are these? They concern good and evil, how nothing is good for man which does not make him just, self-controlled, brave and free; and nothing is evil which does not produce effects the opposite of these." (Marcus Aurelius)
good review. Thanks for sharing your thought
Sometimes a person feels more isolated trying to hold on to ppl or trying to fit in where they dont belong
What the final scene seemed to convey to me is not that his embrace of routine and everyday joys makes him blissful; it makes him in touch with the reality of his life. He is not numb to it. (His niece scrolling on her phone when she first shows up is such a contrast.) And perhaps his embrace of routine and everyday joys fortifies him to weather the hard parts of life.
Slow timing is a key point in classic Japanese cinema and remains, it has to do with experiencing the real everyday life and the intensity of simplicity. Its not about movement but the emotions, dialogues (or silence) the present and missing elements (what happens and doesn´t happen).
La sincronización lenta es un punto clave en el cine japonés clásico y lo sigue siendo, tiene que ver con experimentar la vida cotidiana real y la intensidad de la simplicidad. No se trata de movimiento sino de emociones, diálogos (o silencios), elementos presentes y faltantes (lo que pasa y lo que no pasa.
He's only as sad as any of the other characters in the film, or many of us in real life, but he leaves plenty of room for happiness too, more than most.
I think the final scene is all his emotions of life at once and how we as humans can’t only always feel happy. All our emotions are connected in being human in this world and our interactions in life.
But we need to feel them all and be accepting.
Great analysis.. I absolutely loved this movie. It actually speaks to a part of a lot of ppls lives when once the pomp and show of one's youth passes and things get a bit more serious and morose if one allows it.
It's funny that you say "thrive for a better job". I think this is what all Westerners would say, however the Japanese people have a special connection with cleaning. Since childhood, all children are in charge of cleaning the school; I read that they have no cleaning personnel. And then there's Marie Kondo who made an art out of cleaning and because the first widely known cleaning consultant. So I don't think we can understand the way Japanese perceive cleaning people. Clearly this movie could not have been shot in America or anywhere else except Japan. And I do believe that for this character cleaning is a good enough job.
Thank you for commenting. I think you are right about how in Japan there is a very big respect and importance given to cleanliness and their public toilets are a perfect example of that. But I do think that cleaning toilets is unfortunately still a job without much prestige even in Japan if the way that his sister speaks about his job is any indication. Anyhow, I think what makes something a good job is just a matter of personal opinion.
@@Nokitoki_reviews I didn't understand either why his sister spoke with such contempt about his cleaning job. It seemed to me like a Japanese would not do that. I might be wrong, of course. It just seemed a little off to me, as from what I know, the Japanese don't show you their real feelings, anyway. We also should keep in mind that this is a movie mainly made for Westerners, just like Memoirs of a Geisha which I also loved.