Film Review – Rental Family (2025)

      **Rental Family, 2025**

      **Written and Directed by Hikari.**

      **Starring Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman, Akira Emoto, Paolo Andrea Di Pietro, Shinji Ozeki, Yuji Komatsu, Ryoko Osada, Gan Furukawa, Risa Kameda, Kana Kitty, Yuma Sonan, Nihi, and Shino Shinozaki.**

      **SYNOPSIS:**

      An American actor in Tokyo grapples with a lack of purpose until he secures an unusual job: working for a Japanese "rental family" agency, where he assumes roles for strangers. As he becomes intertwined in his clients' lives, he starts to forge authentic connections that blur the lines between acting and reality.

      In Japan, there are peculiar services that allow individuals to hire someone to assume a role in their personal lives or family. This relatively unexplored concept is at the heart of writer/director Hikari’s second narrative feature, *Rental Family* (named after the service depicted in the film), which presents various themes ripe for further examination. However, some restraint and focus could have been beneficial, as, by the end, apart from Brendan Fraser’s struggling actor who has made Japan his home, the other characters lack depth and primarily serve to elicit emotional responses from the audience.

      It is frustrating how often the film attempts to elevate emotional stakes in the second half, as it caused this critic to experience the opposite effect, leading to a collapse of engagement. The only cohesive element is the remarkable ensemble, fronted by the genuinely heartfelt performance of Brendan Fraser, who nearly compensates for the structural and character shortcomings surrounding him.

      His character, Philip (who assumes a new identity with each client and scenario), is understandably hesitant to join the service despite his urgent need for employment. On the surface, this service appears to have the potential for greater harm than good. Nevertheless, his views are gradually shifted by the outcome of a staged marriage he participates in, which enables the faux bride to escape to Canada with her girlfriend, allowing her to live authentically while her homophobic family remains under the impression that she is fulfilling the traditional role expected of her. While deception is inherent, everyone finds happiness, and an oppressed individual can live the life they desire.

      Philip's subsequent role poses more ethical dilemmas: he plays a mother (Shino Shinozaki) attempting to reconnect her rebellious daughter (Shannon Mahina Gorman, who is also fluent in English) with her estranged father, under the belief that this might reform her behavior enough to enable her enrollment in a prestigious school with promising future prospects. For Philip, the task is to embody Kevin, Mia’s estranged father, who ostensibly returns to her life with a change of heart. Naturally, Mia is wary, and Philip contemplates whether to draw the line before accepting the job. This concern stems from the role requiring him to promise he will never abandon Mia again, even though after three weeks and the completion of the exam, he will have to fabricate a story to return to America, effectively leaving the girl feeling forsaken once more.

      As sweet as it is to witness Philip/Kevin gain Mia’s trust and engage in her education—taking her to events like a Monster Cat Festival (a vibrant and colorful parade that showcases Japan's natural beauty)—one cannot help but question the mother’s reasoning in believing this is a solid plan, which could possibly shatter trust and leave emotional scars. Even if Mia performs better academically, what assurance is there that her improvement will persist after this false father departs, or even worse, should she discover the truth and worsen tensions with her mother? The plan is perplexing and neglects to provide the mother’s perspective (her character isn’t even named), with the narrative primarily focused on Philip.

      Philip's other roles include providing companionship to a lonely elderly actor (Akira Emoto) and expressing concern over the "apology" roles women are often assigned. The film also depicts the lives of various service employees, alongside a subplot where Philip regularly hires someone to alleviate his loneliness. While the film critiques the service for the degrading tasks women may undertake, the resolution concerning Philip, Mia, and her mother feels overly tidy, with the mother seemingly learning nothing and facing no consequences. This film would have benefited from focusing on one aspect of the rental service and developing it as the narrative's foundation. It is not that the film is overly complicated; rather, with numerous supporting characters, it feels compelled to heighten stakes or introduce convoluted twists, leading to contrived rather than natural storytelling.

      *Rental Family* follows predictable beats that invite eye-rolling. It conveys commendable messages about found family and the importance of human connection, and there's no denying Brendan Fraser's strength in this role (along with the compelling chemistry he shares with Shannon Mah