Loneliness is so widespread in urban Japan that there’s even a state organized ministry against the consequences of being alone since 2021. At the same time, psychological therapy is far less normalized in Japan than it is in the US or Europe. This is how the first “Rental Family Service“ launched in the early 90s – a service in which actors can be rented out for platonic relationships. In RENTAL FAMILY, director Mitsuyo Miyazaki, known under the pseudonym Hikari, tells the story of Phillip (Brendan Fraser), a failed commercial actor from the USA, who comes into contact with the unusual professional field while working as an extra. As the supposed husband, he helps a lesbian couple get accepted, secures a spot at a private school as the father of a young girl, and helps an isolated man return to society. But what starts off as purely work soon becomes an emotional tightrope between acting and reality.

RENTAL FAMILY is predictable and manipulative in every way – yet Hikari has succeeded, with clever twists and her pleasantly everyday view of Japan, in telling a story that is anything but hackneyed. Besides its slower pace, this is mainly due to Brendan Fraser's heartwarming performance, which effortlessly combines humor and emotional depth, especially in his interactions with the consistently realistic clients. RENTAL FAMILY is a romanticized love letter to humanity, with a gentle warmth that pervades every line and proves that with the right sensitivity, kitsch can become something special.

Lukas Hoffmann (INDIEKINO MAGAZIN)

Translation: Elinor Lewy