Every so often, a movie comes along that is so human and so smartly constructed and so emotionally on the nose that you leave the theater thinking, “Yep… that was special.” Rental Family is that movie.
The film follows Philip, played by Branden Fraser, a struggling American actor living in Japan. He hasn’t yet found his professional or personal footing. He’s smart, he’s working at it, he’s hustling… he’s just in that “everything is close but not close enough” place. And then he comes across a job that turns his life upside down: He signs with an agency that quite literally rents people out to be integrated into the real lives of strangers, as needed.
That’s where the movie starts to really cook.
Philip plays the role of everything from a gaming buddy who just hangs out, to a journalist hired by a daughter in the hopes that her aging, still-celebrity Japanese actor father might be convinced he’s being interviewed for a worthwhile piece. And then there’s the job that really hits you in the feels: Standing in as the father figure for a little girl who has never met her real father and desperately needs to prove herself to a school. These moments are just so sweet, so funny, so awkward, so emotional, so everything you could want from a film with such a distinct premise.
I can’t say enough about the script. It takes on so many big themes (identity, belonging, loneliness, connection, etc.) but it never feels like a soapbox. You can see some of the beats coming (no spoiler here, it’s right there in the trailer), and sure, I would’ve liked to be surprised a little more. But really, I didn’t care. I was so in. Predictable or not, I was here for it.
But of course, none of this would land nearly as hard if it weren’t for the performances, and holy moly, do the performances here deliver. Fraser is an absolute dream as Philip, full of heart and nuance, and all of the supporting cast. This is a group of performances that should be getting major awards-season buzz. And if this film does not pop up in at least a couple of categories at the Oscars and the Golden Globes.
Credit must also be given, of course, to the director behind the camera. Hakira gives us something truly stunning. The cinematography is gorgeous. The framing, the lingering close-ups, the slow pullbacks from characters… every shot is deliberate and emotionally resonant. You can tell this is a director who loves visual storytelling, and who knows just how to use stillness and space and composition to absolutely wallop you.
And so I sat there soaking in not only this beautiful story, but this beautiful world around it. Between the heartfelt writing and the direction that feels almost poetical at times, the movie becomes more than a clever little premise. It becomes a full-on emotional journey.
So yeah, I’m giving Rental Family a very solid 4.5 out of 5 stars. It’s warm and thoughtful and beautifully constructed and packed with themes that will resonate with nearly everyone.
Go see it while it’s in theaters. This is one of those films that you definitely need to experience on the big screen.
