Balancing wisdom and whimsy, the latest from director Hikari (37 Seconds) explores how each of us have unique roles we play in life, some with great responsibility. Visually stunning with a gentle hand, Rental Family is a luminous, cinematic love letter to the city and firmly establishes Hikari as a major talent to watch.
Set against modern-day Tokyo, an American actor (Brendan Fraser) 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.
Reviews
"Rental Family is the kind of film to watch when you’re tired of bad news and just want to immerse yourself in some humor with heart." – Medium
As part of our See Change initiative, we strive to showcase the work of women and non-binary individuals and their behind-the-scenes involvement in a production.
This film is written, directed, and produced by Hikari and produced by Julia Lebedev and Rita Walsh.
