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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
Brendan Fraser delivers a phenomenal performance in this tender exploration of loneliness and human connection, with audiences praising his immense likability despite some finding the concept unrealistic. While critics note the film relies heavily on Fraser's charm (with one reviewer hilariously noting he mostly goes ':)' and sometimes ':/' ), the emotional payoff resonates deeply with viewers who describe it as completely original with 'all the feels.'
Top Mentions
Summary generated from the text of Atom User reviews
Letterboxd User Reviews
3.9
116.2K
37.9K
48.1K
- Nov 20, 2025
mostly consists of Brendan Fraser going ":)" and then sometimes he's like ":/"
David SimsNov 23, 2025unrealistic because in real life there are no pure hearted white guys that live in japan
benoftheweekNov 20, 2025I would also pay Brendan Fraser to play video games with me.
Hailli - Jan 13, 2026
Great concept. Lot of warm and fuzzies. Brendan Fraser is immensely likable. Some cool writing. Beautifully-shot. Didn’t blow me away, but it certainly satisfied me.
PaulWHauserDec 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 adejuyigbeSep 12, 2025Hey this was really nice
Amanda the Jedi - Nov 21, 2025
Just when I thought Brendan Fraser couldn’t charm me more, he plays Sega Dreamcast in a movie.
ChrisStuckmannNov 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…
jeabaNov 20, 2025one of the most tender films you’ll see this year
cob
Queue Community Reviews
98%
Community 2,644
Top Reviews
- Melanie lovedRental Family
Very unique story . I will have you smiling and crying .
Carson Withers is "meh" onRental FamilyLogging 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?
Obihulk lovedRental FamilyI 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…
- Jake likedRental Family
It was good! I would say not quite as good as I had hoped but it had a lot of heart, some funny moments and was overall very sweet. Also included some really beautiful shots that reminded me a lot of film photography. You can tell it was made with a lot of love.
Mateo likedRental FamilyIt was good but not as good as I was hoping. Defiantly very emotional with good acting, but I felt the plot was convoluted. There were scenes where I was confused why it was a part of the movie. Overall, the plot is unique and the message is important. 6.5/10
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
- jam jammy jambam lovedRental Family
I couldn’t connect with it as much as i liked through the first half, it just felt too artificial for some reason. But it swept me away for the second half, and i adored the ride. Absolutely gorgeous locations, shot masterfully. Brendan Fraser man.
Javier lovedRental FamilyI loved it. It has a very well chosen casting and teaches a lot about family relationships. Interesting dilemma. Could it be a business like this in the real life? Would it be ethical? The editing was also 10/10, perfectly accurate.
Robyn lovedRental FamilyCried the entire way through - but in a way that left me lighter. The Japanese have a way of giving you content and welcoming any emotional response, which is so refreshing to the American style of telling you how to feel
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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