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Rental Family
Directed by
HIKARI
PG-13
Releasing Nov 21
1h 50m
Comedy
,
Drama
7.6
96%
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An American actor in Tokyo struggling to find purpose lands an unusual gig: working for a Japanese "rental family" agency, playing stand-in roles for strangers. He rediscovers purpose, belonging, and the beauty of human connection.
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Cast of Rental Family
Brendan Fraser
Phillip Vandarpleog / Executive Producer
Takehiro Hira
Shinji
Mari Yamamoto
Aiko
Shannon Mahina Gorman
Mia Kawasaki
Akira Emoto
Kikuo Hasegawa
Paolo Andrea Di Pietro
Handsome Actor
Shinji Ozeki
Casting Director
Yuji Komatsu
Neighbor Father
Ryoko Osada
Neighbor Wife
Gan Furukawa
Neighbor Old Man
Risa Kameda
Neighbor Girlfriend
Kana Kitty
Neighbor Business Woman
Yuma Sonan
Neighbor Boyfriend
Nihi
Nova Bright Z
Shino Shinozaki
Mia's Mother
HIKARI
Director / Writer / Producer
Stephen Blahut
Writer / Executive Producer
Shin Yamaguchi
Producer
Eddie Vaisman
Producer
Julia Lebedev
Producer
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Rental Family Reviews
AWFJ.org
Leslie Combemale
Hikari knows her way around a character arc, building a story centered on the struggle with loneliness and the need for connection that leads to catharsis for the audience without getting sentimental or maudlin.
Loud and Clear Reviews
Serena Seghedoni
Hikari's Rental Family is an ode to all the people out there who are lonely, grieving and in pain, a lesson on how healing comes from within, and a reminder that we are alive. It's irresistibly human, and it's the best film of the year.
InSession Film
Brian Susbielles
Rental Family is a comedy-drama that is surprisingly heartwarming as it is touching on the artificials that could cause more harm than good, which concerns Phillip in the beginning.
That Hashtag Show
Amelia Harvey
Rental Family has more layers and bite than the marketing material suggests. While it treads a well-worn road and doesn't try to take risks, it's an effective melodrama about cultural loneliness, authenticity, and ethics.
Slant Magazine
Alexander Mooney
The few glimpses we get of the supporting cast suggest a more exploratory film, but these strands only exist to be woven back into Philip's formulaic journey of self-discovery.
MacGuffin or Meaning (Substack)
Alise Chaffins
Rental Family is life-affirming in ways that I didn't fully expect, particularly if you're willing to engage with a movie that is incredibly earnest in its ambitions.
Awards Radar
Joey Magidson
Rental Family is a gentle and quiet work with an affecting turn from Brendan Fraser.
VisAbleBlackwoman (Medium)
Jeanine T. Abraham
HIKARI has created a film that is an ode to Japan. The cinematography is stunning, crafted with love as it transports the audience to the land of the rising sun.
Next Best Picture
Nadia Dalimonte
"Rental Family" shines as a love letter not just to the nature and culture of Tokyo, but also the people there, who collectively face extreme stigma around mental health and therapy.
The Film Stage
Christopher Schobert
It seems silly to come down too hard on this good-natured comedy-drama--especially for offering a much more impressive performance than the one that earned Fraser an Oscar.
RogerEbert.com
Brian Tallerico
its blatant sentimentality is thematically in tune with the plot.
Awards Buzz
Abe Friedtanzer
Through both serious, heartfelt moments and much lighter, comedic ones, Rental Family succeeds at showing that there's always a chance to fix things, even if swapping out someone in an equation might be necessary to make it possible.
IndieWire
David Ehrlich
This is a nice movie: the kind that's lit brighter than a dentist's office, scored by the lead singer of Sigur Rós, and aimed towards a heart-stirring conclusion about empathy, isolation, and the power that we all have to affect each other's lives.
AwardsWatch
Kevin L. Lee
Hikari doesn't shy away from some of the moral thorniness. How do we know that our actions will represent our intentions, when so much of what we feel is deeply internalized instead of being communicated out loud?
Screen Rant
Mae Abdulbaki
It's a heartwarming film that asks thoughtful questions, and I promise you won't be disappointed by its answers.
The Playlist
Gregory Ellwood
Hikari knows how to push enough emotional buttons without the audience sensing they are being manipulated. And, for many, those talents mean "Rental Family" will lead to genuine tears.
TheWrap
William Bibbiani
It's easy to see what attracted Fraser to this material, since it's almost mechanically designed to make him look good as an actor, and enchanting as a star.
Deadline Hollywood Daily
Pete Hammond
This is a gentle film, the kind of lower-key humane comedy we don't see often these days.
The Hollywood Reporter
Frank Scheck
...a dramedy that proves a charming surprise balancing poignancy and humor with rare delicacy.
Variety
Peter Debruge
A movie like "Rental Family" lives or dies by its tone, and the one Hikari strikes is reflected in the concerned creases of Fraser's forehead: It's maudlin and unconvincing, means well but isn't above manipulating us for the desired emotional outcome.
Watch Rental Family Videos
Rental Family (US Trailer 1)
Rental Family (US Trailer 1)
Trailer
Building A New Family
Building A New Family
Behind the Scenes
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Rental Family (2025) Release Date is November 21, 2025 - See the Cast, Videos, and More - Plex
