'Rental Family': Everything To Know

The American and Japanese cultures are different in many ways, one of them being the concept of the “rental family,” which is more widespread in the latter country than the former. The service sees actors portraying family members of their customers, whether for a social event or for general companionship.

That’s the topic tackled in Brendan Fraser’s new movie Rental Family, from mononymous director Hikari (who you might remember directed some of the first-season episodes of Beef). The movie was shot in Tokyo, making Fraser a fish out of water both on screen and off.

Ahead of the movie’s release, keep reading for everything you need to know before it hits theaters.

Plot

The logline reads, “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.”

Takehiro Hira told The Playlist:

“The word ‘rental family’ is a wacky idea, but when you really talk to people who are running it or who get the service from them it actually makes sense. In the modern world or in a metropolitan setting, people are really lonely and you can just hire someone to be friends to fill the void. And I played the guy who runs Rent Family, and then Brendan Fraser was sort of a lost American guy in Japan. And by accident, I end up recruiting him into my team and he ends up working for a rental family business.”

Cast

The movie stars Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman, Akira Emoto, and Shino Shinozaki.

Fraser told Deadline of shooting the movie in Japan:

“I couldn’t resist making this film for the opportunity to work there and to also blaze a trail. I think more and more productions are likely going start working their way towards shooting in Japan, considering there’s the production value.

The talent pool itself is extensive and, of course, behind the camera and at camera, for that matter, there are excellent filmmakers, technically and creatively, design — everything is meticulous. The whole manner of working itself was refreshing and new to me. It’s something that I love about my job when I get to see and learn from others who have done this in a different way.”