The 34th Philadelphia Film Festival offered one of its finest slate of movies in nearly a decade. But this jam-packed collection of desirable titles mostly shared a common theme. They centered around dark or depressing themes involving unhinged conspiracy theorists (Bugonia), parents mourning the loss of their child (Hamnet), and a deranged scientist determined to reanimate the dead (Frankenstein). All this grim content left me craving some warm, wholesome entertainment, and I was gifted all that and more in the form of Japanese filmmaker Hikari’s upcoming heartstring-tugger, Rental Family.
Outside of a small supporting role in Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon, Brendan Fraser has been almost nonexistent since his surprising Oscar-winning resurgence in 2022’s The Whale. But if you thought the tide of his career had passed him by once again, not so fast! Fraser returns in an emotionally charged role as Phillip Vandarpleog, a struggling middle-aged actor desperate for work while living in Japan.
It’s here where Phillip’s agent finally finds him a paid gig playing a “Rental Family” performer, acting as a required stand-in for roles in the personal lives of strangers. As odd as this cultural profession sounds, Phillip embraces the work and comes to find himself fully invested in the worlds of his clients. Yet, none of these newfound relationships are as strong as Phillip’s budding bond with a young girl named Mia (played by Shannon Mahina Gorman). Mia’s mother wants to get her into a competitive private school that requires both biological parents to be present during the interview. Therefore, she hires Phillip to pretend to be Mia’s real father, rather than asking her daughter to play a part in her lying and deceit to the school’s interviewers.
The beauty and magic of Rental Family is writer-director Hikari’s ability to embody the true essence of human connection and its irreplaceable value in a person’s life. Phillip begins as a lonely, down on his luck actor, but he quickly transforms into a meaningful cog in the lives of his many clients. Each role he plays is so unique and different, but all of which serve a much greater purpose.
Rental Family certainly delivers on an assortment of wholesome drama and well-intentioned subplots, due in large part to Hikari and co-writer Stephen Blahut’s poignant script and a spectacular acting ensemble whose personal stories wonderfully expand the scope of the film. But despite all of its uplifting elements, Rental Family also tackles the unfathomable question of, “what happens when clients want to terminate the employment?”. Embedded within this heartbreaking inevitability rests the film’s deepest themes, and Hikari and her cast explore these depths phenomenally.
Hikari’s latest work weaves through the highs and lows of Japan’s unique cultural profession with honor, grace, and dignity, shining a light on its positive impacts on Japanese society, as well as some shameful ones. There’s a great deal to chew on in this weighty script, but it’s newcomer Shannon Mahina Gorman and Brendan Fraser adorable chemistry and Phillip’s careless vulnerability that make Rental Family one of 2025’s most crowd-pleasing journeys.
GRADE: 4 stars out of 5