Perfect Days (2023)

A Friday in January, we watched this movie. We were immediately captivated by its simplicity, the few plot lines, and its music. A film that is slow but never feels slow.

Every Tuesday an article, every Friday a movie

📽️ Perfect Days (2023)

🎬 Director: Wim Wenders

👥 Cast: Kōji Yakusho, Tokio Emoto, Arisa Nakano

🏆 Awards: Best Actor at Cannes (Kōji Yakusho), nominated for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars

Hirayama, the protagonist of Perfect Days, leads a simple and routine life cleaning public toilets in Tokyo. Far from lamenting his profession, he finds beauty in the small details of daily life: the light filtering through the trees, the music from the old cassettes he listens to in his car, the pleasure of reading a book before sleeping. Despite having a modest job, the protagonist seems fully content with his existence.

Lessons We Can Learn

1️⃣ Austerity as a Life Choice Hirayama's minimalist existence challenges our assumptions about happiness and consumption. With few material possessions, he demonstrates that true contentment often emerges from appreciating everyday moments that cost nothing. This perspective offers valuable insight for personal finance: sustainable happiness comes from living below your means and valuing experiences over possessions.

2️⃣ Financial Self-Sufficiency The protagonist does not seem to have debt or live beyond his means. This philosophy reminds us of the importance of living within our means and avoiding unnecessary financial burdens. Good financial planning involves having savings and a lifestyle adapted to our real income. Comparing this character with the ones in Squid Game highlights the importance of financial freedom.

3️⃣ Wealth is Not Just Monetary In a world where success is often measured in terms of money and possessions, Perfect Days presents another perspective. Hirayama’s wealth lies in his inner peace, his routines, and his connection with his surroundings. A great lesson to remember that financial well-being should be a tool to live better, not an end in itself.

4️⃣ The Stability of a Well-Established Routine Hirayama follows clear and simple routines: working, listening to music, taking photos, reading. This discipline provides him with stability and tranquility, two fundamental elements for good financial management. Economically, this translates into habits such as automatic savings, periodic investments, and, as Eloi Noya says: making your finances boring.

Perfect Days reminds us that one does not need to chase extreme wealth to have a fulfilling life. Good financial management is not just about numbers, but also about how we live and value what we have.

We will continue exploring more movies and their financial lessons every Friday.

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