Critics reviews

[I]t’s an achingly lovely and unexpectedly life-affirming picture.

It could be boring, this film, except it’s impossible to get bored of that face [Koji Yakusho]. And Wenders knows what he has and rarely strays from it.

This is a film that argues, quietly but whole-heartedly, that there’s so much beauty in the every day, and shows us that truth in every single scene.

It requires a wonderfully understated performance from actor Koji Yakusho... Somehow Perfect Days manages to be as soft as an Andrex puppy, without being sickly sweet.

More than anything, Perfect Days reminds us how fortunate we are to live at the same time as Wim Wenders, a filmmaker of extraordinary technical ability, but also possessing a true poetic spirit.

It doesn’t take long for Wim Wenders’s unhurried character portrait to present Hirayama as an exercise in still waters running deep.

Sincere in its emotions, Perfect Days is a breathtaking character study of a previously unsung hero – the bringing of handkerchiefs is recommended.

Wenders’ obvious affection for Tokyo itself, his keen feel for texture and neat avoidance of cliché all suggest Perfect Days is likely to age well as a portrait of a great city’s everyday side.

There's a guileless purity to the film, though, and a delicate, contemplative performance from Yakusho.

Zen and the Art of Lavatory Maintenance. But better than that. Sharper, less sentimental, less aphoristic. A film to live your life by.

There’s a lovely balance of elements here which coalesce into a very enjoyable film. Perfect Days is a gentle delight

Wenders' latest offering is a testament to the thought provoking, profoundly moving power of cinema.