Rental Family (dir. Hikari)

By: Nick Zednik 

As a new Oscars season commences, as do the hopes and dreams of indie darlings looking to crack the field. Searchlight Pictures latest horse in the race, Rental Family, stems from director/writer Hikari (Beef) and stars Oscar-winner Brendan Fraser (The Whale), Mari Yamamoto (Monarch: Legacy of Monsters), Takehiro Hira (Shogun), and Akira Emoto (Dr. Akagi). The set-up is deceptively simple: Struggling actor Phillip Vandarploeug lands a job at a peculiar Japanese “rental family” agency — a real-life phenomenon in Japan that hires actors to portray friends, relatives, even parents for people who feel emotionally disconnected. From there, the film embarks on a gentle, bittersweet journey of identity, purpose and belonging.

Fraser’s performance anchors the film. Albeit showcasing gigs that range from absurd (a fake funeral) to sweet (pretending to be a father to a young girl, Mia, in order to help her gain admission to a school) and it is in those tender moments that Rental Family taps into something raw and emotionally moving as it poses questions of authenticity (what is real vs what is “performance”?), cultural alienation, (Phillip navigating Japan as an outsider), emotional labor (actors aren’t just playing roles - they are absorbing others pain and suffering). Emotionally effective is the struggle of balancing a profession where lines get blurred by personal connections and whether a job is something more than just a “job” in modern society. The serene atmosphere of Tokyo also has a calming impact. The score is modestly used and doesn’t overpower the sentimental moments. The pacing moves briskly, while still letting quiet moments breathe for lasting effect. 

Rental Family is not without its flaws. The predictability of Hakari’s film is its own worst enemy as the realization of being too close to one’s profession begins a fairly convenient conflict and resolution as our main protagonist develops a moral conscience with fairly standard beats (the lie revealed, the lie quickly resolved) and the film doesn’t always dive as deeply into the moral complications as one might hope. It won’t necessarily hinder enjoyment, but it does feel like a missed opportunity to offer audiences a bit more to chew on.

Nick’s Pick: 7/10 Rental Family is a warm hug that doesn’t last long but, it’s hard not to be swept up by the lovable Brendan Fraser.