Perfect Days (2023)
English Version At Blow
自由規律下的代價
知道這部電影好些日子了，我認識的一位朋友說，他的朋友總是會取笑他像這部電影的主角一樣，順便說他就像一位孤獨老人。
看完這部電影之後，我的確也在這位主角上看到我朋友的影子。他們都是安靜的人，對自己喜歡的東西有一種執着。喜歡到每天都會去的餐廳，點着一樣的餐點，偶爾找個角落坐下看看樹，拿出相機記錄平凡到不行的一些瞬間。
我覺得這樣也挺好的，沒有大起大落，也沒戲劇性的時刻，只是在看到主角每天只有一個人在房子裡休息，關燈後，難免覺得他的身影有點落莫。
於是它讓我細想了一下關於自由，以為他的代價。這部電影真實的地方在於它無聲地說出了﹐既要得到其他人的陪伴，同時又要照着完全自我的一套去活着是很難的（也不太可能）。正如某哲學家所言﹐人大部分的煩惱都來自於他人。
在大部分時間只有自己獨自生活的情況下，人可以活在自我構建的安全區中生存。在電影的前半部中，主角的生活是完美的，他活在了自己的安全區裡面，也許會遇到一些陌生人，一些麻煩事（像向他借錢的下屬），但一切都是在可控的範圍中。
可是人到最後還是逃不出與社會、其他人的聯繫。在故事中面對妹妹，以及妹妹對他提及父親的近況（跟一部分指責）後﹐主角生活中平靜的表象就立即被打破。
我覺得電影以影像點出了許多人人生中這種無法被解決的矛盾，我們很多時候只能忽視，或者好好地生活，用轉移注意力來緩解這些問題，然後等時間把它沖淡。主角最後的一鏡到底，又笑又哭的表現，我覺得就是點出了人生的這個無奈。快樂跟傷痛是並存的，正如自由規律同樣有它的代價。
I've been familiar with this film for some time now. A friend of mine mentioned that his friend would often tease him, saying he's just like the protagonist in this movie - like a lonely old man. After watching the film, I could indeed see glimpses of my friend in this character.
They are both quiet people, deeply attached to the things they enjoy. Like going to the same cafe every day, ordering the same meal, occasionally finding a corner to sit and observe the trees, taking out a camera to capture the most ordinary moments.
I think there's something quite nice about that - no major ups and downs, no dramatic moments. But when I see the protagonist resting alone in his house, turning off the lights at the end of the day, I can't help but feel a sense of melancholy about his solitude.
This made me reflect more deeply on the concept of freedom and its costs. The brilliance of this film lies in its silent articulation of the difficulty - perhaps even the impossibility - of simultaneously attaining the companionship of others while strictly adhering to one's own way of living, as a certain philosopher once said, most of our troubles stem from other people.
In the majority of his time living alone, the protagonist is able to exist within the self-constructed "comfort zone" of his own making. In the first half of the film, his life appears perfectly fine - he is living within his own secured realm, occasionally encountering strangers or minor inconveniences (like a subordinate asking to borrow money), but everything is still within his control.
However, one can never fully escape the connections to society and other people. When faced with his sister, and her mentioning of their father's situation (along with a hint of reproach), the calm facade of the protagonist's life is immediately shattered.
I feel the film subtly points out the unresolvable contradictions that many of us face in life. Most of the time, we can only choose to ignore these issues or try to live as best we can, diverting our attention to temporarily alleviate the problems, waiting for time to eventually dilute them. The protagonist's final expression, a mixture of laughter and tears, I believe, encapsulates the futility of this human condition. Happiness and sorrow coexist, just as freedom has its own inescapable costs.
