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Rental Family
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Movie Details
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Videos & Photos
- Trailer 1 (01:59)
Movie Info & Cast
Synopsis
Set in modern-day Tokyo, RENTAL FAMILY follows an American actor (Brendan Fraser) who struggles to find purpose until he lands an unusual gig: working for a Japanese "rental family" agency, playing stand-in roles for strangers. As he immerses himself in his clients’ worlds, he begins to form genuine bonds that blur the lines between performance and reality. Confronting the moral complexities of his work, he rediscovers purpose, belonging, and the quiet beauty of human connection.
Cast
- Brendan Fraser
- Takehiro Hira
- Mari Yamamoto
- Shannon Gorman
- Akira Emoto
- Nihi
- Gan Furukawa
- Takao Kin
- Yuji Komatsu
- Ryôko Osada
Moviegoers are saying
"Rental Family" delivers an emotional powerhouse performance from Brendan Fraser that has audiences reaching for tissues and praising his phenomenal return to form. While one dissenting voice found it overhyped, the overwhelming majority describe it as a heartfelt exploration of loneliness and human connection that punches you right in the feels.
Top Mentions
Summary generated from the text of Atom User reviews
Letterboxd User Reviews
3.9
201.8K
52.6K
79.6K
- Nov 23, 2025
unrealistic because in real life there are no pure hearted white guys that live in japan
benoftheweekNov 20, 2025mostly consists of Brendan Fraser going ":)" and then sometimes he's like ":/"
David SimsNov 20, 2025I would also pay Brendan Fraser to play video games with me.
Hailli - Sep 12, 2025
Hey this was really nice
Amanda the JediNov 22, 2025some facts about me: -i am a sucker for the found family trope -i love nathan fielder’s the rehearsal -i have a dead dad -i am a lesbian -i get a wee bit lonely from time to time -i am legally required to bump up any movie’s rating by at least a half star if they use a…
jeabaJan 29, 2026Can I log that toothpaste commercial on here
James (Schaffrillas) - Nov 21, 2025
Just when I thought Brendan Fraser couldn’t charm me more, he plays Sega Dreamcast in a movie.
ChrisStuckmannNov 20, 2025one of the most tender films you’ll see this year
cobDec 26, 2025My mom: That’s interesting. For them to be hired to play a role. My dad: Isn’t that what actors do? My mom: Yeah, but not for real life.
demi adejuyigbe
Queue Community Reviews
96%
Community 2,850
Top Reviews
- Melanie lovedRental Family
Very unique story . I will have you smiling and crying .
Will Eplion likedRental FamilyBro is a real life smiling friend
Morgan lovedRental Familya beautiful and heartfelt film that makes you think about what it means to truly bond with another human being everything felt organic and touched me deeply brendan gave a fantastic performance as usual and made me cry with how vulnerable and gentle he was
- Carson Withers is "meh" onRental Family
Logging this and Black Phone 2 for some reason crossed wires and made me realize that future movies I think of right now will one day be released and I will log them. Future me how did you like Heat 2?
Khay lovedRental Familya very touching story.
Frida likedRental FamilyCozy!
- Obihulk lovedRental Family
I often find myself wondering about the harsh divide between truth and lies. Why does honesty sometimes bring pain, while a lie can offer comfort, even if only temporarily? And why do we feel compelled to create false solutions just to soften endings that might hurt the people we care about? As…
CanadianZar lovedRental FamilyWhat a movie… a whole mixed bag of emotions, I loved the angles and shots during this film, how it was taken, something about it felt “good” even the sad parts, life is life but to help people while they have time left is worth the risk. I feel like the whole “kid” part of the story ended…
Kudaranaishy lovedRental Family10/10 Honestly, it’s a beautiful movie, from the acting to the writing, and the connection to the characters. They’re all fleshed out, and you can’t help but feel for them all. Acting 11/10 Brendan 👌🏼 Writing 10/10 Camera 11/10 Japan is so beautiful Emotion 10/10 Rewatch 10/10
Atom User Reviews
POPULAR TAGS
#allthefeels
#original
#greatcast
#great
#inspiring
#familyfriendly
#<3
#datenight
#hilarious
#mustsee
#indiehit
#seeingitagain
#smart
#awardbuzz
#surprising
#lovestory
#slow
Verified Review
“Rental Family” punches you in the face with the emotional rollercoaster it takes you on. An easy 10/10 and would def watch again!
LG
Luis G
Verified Review
Brendan Fraser was phenomenal.
BH
Bob H
Metacritic
Nov 18, 2025
Fraser walks through this aggressively sappy drama with the aura of simple goodness that has served him well. But such concentrated radiance starts to feel like a denial of the painful reality Rental Family ignores. The movie wants to give you a hug, but you may be tempted to slap it across the face.
Tim Grierson
The A.V. Club
Sep 9, 2025
Rental Family, directed by Hikari, displays an almost admirable amount of restraint in its tear jerking, opting for quieter moments of grace rather than overdone emotion. In fact, it’s so restrained that Fraser’s Phillip Vandarpleog is not much of a character at all, and you leave itching for more of his inner life.
Esther Zuckerman
The Daily Beast
Sep 7, 2025
Rental Family could have gone deeper, darker, and more boldly into the oddities of the human rental market. But that would be a different film. 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.
Christopher Schobert
The Film Stage
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