Originally considered as a documentary, this much-admired Oscar-nominated film is a gentle and perfectly-formed treat that follows the simple and ordered daily life of Hirayama (played superbly Koji Yakusho), a custodian of public toilets in Tokyo, and the things he enjoys - nature, reading, music - with small but significant reveals about his wider life along the way through people he encounters. Veteran Wim Wenders (who also co-wrote) paints a masterful portrait of an ordinary man who finds fulfilment in a busy and complicated world. It is beautifully shot, with wonderful use of composition and and eye for finding beauty in the everyday. The film makes a clear point about living an analogue life - print books, cassette tapes, camera film, but Hirayama does have a mobile phone as a utility) - and like its protagonist, it is a quiet, precise and gentle movie that finds its pleasures in the little details and simple moments in life that everyone can feel. The restrained and beautiful ending packs a real and unexpected emotional punch to a most positive and life-affirming film.
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