Hiayama (Koji Yakusho) is a janitor, cleaning public toilets by day in Tokyo.
He’s a loner with hardly anything to say and has a passion for reading, photography and impeccable taste in music.
His nights are spent with his beloved books before turning in as part of preparation for a job he does with pride, displaying a strong work ethic.
Right from the word go, Hiayama is someone I cared deeply about, with his outlook and appreciation for the simple things in life earning great admiration: sitting in a bar lovingly regarding a pint glass of water with the same reverence as a connoisseur of wine might look at the nectar before them , or taking the time to appreciate his surroundings. He’s a man wedded to routine; calm and friendly with warm glances towards his fellow citizens, but he is capable of not only opening up but being assertive when push comes to shove and these different sides to his character make him fully rounded.
Wenders’ film is full of the things that make life special, as well as a great sadness for words let unsaid and a growing realisation that Hirayama may be within reach of his soulmate but unlikely to ever meet.
It’s a quiet masterpiece in my opinion, and a worthy addition to a filmography that contains so many wonderful films from a director with real heart and soul.
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