Need a respectable-looking mourner to fill out your funeral? Searching for a fake dad to impress the registration committee at your posh private school? Why not call Rental Family, a surrogate agency leasing stand-in actors for social settings. In this US–Japanese co-production from director HIKARI (who has several episodes of Beef in her filmography), Brendan Fraser plays Philip, a lonely actor in Tokyo seeking work. At first Philip is dubious about the gig, but soon the genial giant sees it as an opportunity to use his well-honed improv skills for good.
Although the concept may seem strange to Westerners, surrogate agencies have existed in Asian countries for years. HIKARI uses the phenomenon as a springboard for an emotionally pleasing film about estrangement and connection, and how role-playing can help bridge the two. It’s a role tailor-made for the always sympathetic Brendan Fraser, who shows off an impressive command of Japanese in his first lead since The Whale.
Media Partner
Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman, Akira Emoto
USA/Japan
2025
In English and Japanese with English subtitles
Book Tickets
Credits & Director
Executive Producer
Jennifer Semler, Tomo Koizumi, Stephen Blahut, Leonid Lebedev, Brendan Fraser, Oren Moverman
Producer
Eddie Vaisman, Julia Lebedev, HIKARI, Shin Yamaguchi
Screenwriter
HIKARI, Stephen Blahut
Cinematography
Takuro Ishizaka
Editor
Alan Baumgarten, Thomas A. Krueger
Production Design
Norihiro Isoda, Masako Takayama
Original Music
Jónsi, Alex Somers
HIKARI
HIKARI is an award-winning writer, director, and producer. Her debut feature 37 Seconds (2019) premiered at Berlinale and won accolades globally. She has directed episodes of the Emmy-winning series Beef as well as Tokyo Vice, and acclaimed shorts like Tsuyako (2011). HIKARI is currently developing several projects including Made in Utah, based on her experience as an exchange student in Utah, and an original adaptation of Jules and Jim.
Filmography: 37 Seconds (2019)
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