Rental Family (2025)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
An American actor in Japan finds himself navigating the complexities of human connection while working for a company that provides actors to play stand-in family members.
The story
Phillip Vanderploeg is an American actor living in Tokyo who has struggled to find consistent work since a successful commercial years prior. His career hits a lull until he is hired by 'Rental Family,' a unique agency that provides actors to play stand-in family members and friends for various clients. Initially skeptical of the absurd premise, Phillip accepts the job out of financial necessity. He soon finds himself performing various roles, from a fake fiancé to a surrogate father figure. As he takes on these roles, the lines between his professional performances and the genuine emotions of the clients begin to blur, forcing him to confront the reality of the connections he is forging.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Phillip Vanderploeg, an American actor in Tokyo, finds work with 'Rental Family,' an agency providing actors to play stand-in family members. He takes on several roles: a fake fiancé for Yoshie, a surrogate father for a girl named Mia, and a journalist's proxy to help a man with dementia named Kikuo Hasegawa. While performing these roles, Phillip forms genuine bonds with his 'clients.' He eventually refuses a lucrative career opportunity to stay with Mia. He also takes Kikuo to his childhood home, where Kikuo finds a time capsule of his past life. After a confrontation with his boss, Shinji, regarding the 'soulless' nature of the business, Phillip is arrested for 'kidnapping' Kikuo after the man collapses. Meanwhile, Mia discovers Phillip's true identity. After a legal dispute involving the agency's other employees, the truth is revealed to the clients. Kikuo eventually passes away, and Phillip attends his funeral. Ultimately, Phillip and his colleague Aiko continue working at the agency, but they stop offering 'apology services' that led to abuse. Phillip finds peace by visiting a Shinto shrine where he finally sees his own reflection.
- First release year
- 2025
- Runtime (minutes)
- 110
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English; Japanese
- Directors
- Hikari
- Writers
- Hikari · writer; Stephen Blahut · writer
- Cast and characters
- Brendan Fraser · Phillip Vanderploeg; Takehiro Hira · Shinji; Mari Yamamoto · Aiko; Shannon Mahina Gorman · Mia Kawasaki; Akira Emoto · Kikuo Hasegawa; Shino Shinozaki · Hitomi; Kimura Bun · Kota; Sei Matobu · Masami Hasegawa; Misato Morita · Yoshie Ikeda; Tamae Ando · Lola
- Genres
- comedy-drama
- Themes
- identity; lies; loneliness; human connection
- Tone and mood
- sweet; lyrical; humane; thought-provoking
- Premise and plot tags
- actors; dementia; Japan; comedy-drama
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics, who specifically praised Brendan Fraser's performance. It was also recognized by the National Board of Review.
- Reported review scores
- CinemaScore · score: A · scale: A+ to F
- Awards and nominations
- Top 10 Films · National Board of Review · Nomination/Selection
- Production trivia
- The film was expected to earn $2.6 million in its opening weekend but made $3.3 million.; The film was released on digital streaming on January 13, 2026.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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