It’s been two years since Brendan Fraser made his remarkable comeback with his Oscar-winning performance in Darren Aronofsky’s harrowing film The Whale. Besides a minor part in Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Fraser has maintained a relatively low profile ever since he took home Hollywood’s top accolade. Many were excited to see what he would do next, and fans of the beloved actor are sure to be left absolutely smitten with his latest performance in Hikari’s Rental Family. A heartfelt tale of found family, identity and connection that is as crowdpleasing as they come.
In Rental Family, Fraser plays a struggling actor called Phillip Vandarploeg who uprooted his life in America in hopes of finding occupational success in Japan. He’s been living in Tokyo for the past 7 years, and his most notable role has been playing a cavity-fighting superhero in a wacky kids’ toothpaste advert. But that’s certainly not the oddest role he will ever play.
When his agent sends him on a nondescript job to play a character only described as “sad American”, Phillip is surprised to find that the well-paying gig is actually for a fake funeral. Fraser expertly plays this scene for maximum laughs. It fits perfectly into his strengths of being a well-meaning yet slightly clueless everyman. He fumbles around the delicate setting mid-ceremony, only to be completely perplexed when he sees fellow funeral attendees left completely bereft by a very much alive gentleman lying in an open casket, occasionally looking up to grin with glee. Fraser comically wears a befuddled look on his face that screams, “What is happening?”
After the job is done, Phillip meets Shinji (Takehiro Hira), the owner of the company that hired him for this elaborate charade. Shinji explains that his Rental Family company is “selling emotion,” and they provide a unique service where actors play literal roles in people’s lives. As they’re currently lacking “a token white guy” on their books, Shinji offers him more work “playing roles with real meaning”. At first, Phillip turns him down due to the perceived deceitful nature of the job.
But with the phone rarely ringing, he reluctantly gives it an honest shot and soon finds that there is indeed a rewarding satisfaction in playing the part of a fake husband. Soon, he takes on two other roles that become regular clients. One is a fake journalist hired by the daughter of an ageing actor with dementia called Kikuo (Akira Emoto), hoping the “interview” will make him feel valued again.
The second is the father of a precocious biracial girl named Mia (Shannon Gorman), whose mother is trying to get her into an elite private school. Mia’s biological father has been out of the picture since she was born, but the problem is that this school requires both a mother and father to attend a mandatory interview before admission to the school can be granted.
So when Phillip steps in, they spin some fiction to Mia that her father has been absent all these years due to his demanding job abroad. At first, their dynamic is understandably hostile given her father’s sudden reappearance, but it soon softens into a loving connection. But when Phillip’s pretend paternal affection stops becoming an act, it becomes harder for him to keep up this facade.
Director and co-writer Hikari has stated that the film’s slightly bonkers premise is based on her own experiences of growing up in Japan, where there is still a harsh stigma surrounding mental health. The practice of “renting someone” may seem unusual and amusing to any Westerner watching. But it’s understandable why some Japanese people resort to these unorthodox services to fill a void in their lives – especially when there’s a lack of other emotional outlets available. Hikari’s intentionally gentle and introspective direction allows the audience to empathise with her and co-writer Stephen Blahut’s lost characters. Especially Phillip, who is also striving for a genuine connection.
Hikari’s clever use of visual language often illustrates how Phillip doesn’t quite fit into his surroundings. Japan is well known for its minimalist architecture, and given Fraser’s stocky frame, he often feels too big or out of place in his surrounding environment. Whether it’s him crouching down to avoid hitting the ceiling in his own apartment or him trying to squeeze into a seat on his commute on the Tokyo Metro. There’s even one scene where he smushes himself into the aforementioned coffin of the fake dead man – only to reveal his long legs protruding outward. Fraser is in his element here. While nowhere near as emotionally demanding as The Whale, Fraser’s natural sensitivity and goofball charm complement Hikari’s sentimental story about finding a place where you belong.
While Rental Family feels a little safe overall, Hikari crafts a tender dramedy that is somewhat schmaltzy but never saccharine. It’s the frozen yoghurt of films; comforting, unpretentious and sweet – but not too sweet.
★★★★
In U.K. cinemas on January 16th / Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Gorman, Kimura Bun, Akira Emoto / Dir: Hikari / Searchlight Pictures / 12A
This is a repost of our 2025 BFI London Film Festival review | original review
Related
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
