The Wasteland Reviewer

Rental Family (2025) Written Review

To what lengths will people go to feel connection and avoid loneliness? Tokyo is an amazing city with some of the most compelling and unique cultural elements in the world but there is one prevailing concern amongst this densely populated metropolis. Loneness. There are plenty of individuals who struggle with human connections and seek out unique and unexpected solutions for this loneliness. Rental Family is a fun and heart-warming exploration of surrogacy that is demanded by the people of Tokyo. Funerals. Weddings. Parents. Friends. Hikari’s new film is full of possibilities with Brendan Fraser leading the way as an underemployed actor who finds a new purpose as part of Rental Family, Inc. 

How does Hiraki navigate this compelling concept? The tone of Rental Family is a wonderful balance of humor, sincerity, and charm. Hikari goes for a more moving and emotive look that can be construed as sappy in the hands of the wrong filmmaker but the authenticity that is breathed into Rental Family is quite powerful. There are plenty of moments with laughs sprinkled throughout the film as Hikari understands the humor in some of the ridiculous scenarios that Fraser’s Phillip finds himself in. There are even a few hilarious moments that will get the whole theater laughing. But more importantly, Hikari finds space to deliver some deeply moving and powerful moments as well. There are elements of this concept that open the door for danger, violence, and betrayal. Hikari can balance the tone well to not undercut such serious moments along the way. For a film that is close to two hours, Rental Family moves so well and keeps the audience engrossed from start to finish. This is one of the sincerest and moving films of the fall movie season. 

How do Hikari and Stephen Blahut navigate this compelling concept with their screenplay? The concept is leveraged well as the film navigates plenty of different scenarios and how complex these surrogacies can get. Montage is used to explore some of the more fun and light-hearted moments, but Hikari does not avoid those “Apology Scenarios” that can lead to plenty of violence against women. Not a lot of the runtime is dedicated to them, but they leave an impact. You have some interesting supporting characters who get some moments to shine in their own relationship to these surrogacy scenarios. More time could be dedicated to them to really flesh them out but enough is highlighted to get some impact. The real focus is Phillip and his journey. There are plenty of cliches in the film regarding how his new relationships become too personal and a conflict of interest arises but there is enough emotional depth to make them more impactful despite the familiarity. Phillip goes on a great journey of self-discovery as he finds new ways to impact the lives of others. His dynamic with a young girl as her estranged father along with his budding friendship with a legendary actor are two of the key emotional anchors of the film which stand out. Hikari and Blahut find plenty of detail to deepen and flesh out this experience in the most impactful ways. 

Does Fraser and the rest of the cast come to play? Fresh off a Best Actor win, Fraser finds another character to really sink his teeth into. His portrayal of Phillip is full of depth and contains so many layers. A charming and caring man yet filled with insecurities and levels of frustration make him a compelling character. Fraser injects so much heart and soul into this character with presence and earnestness. There are some range and frustration that boil up but he delivers one of the most endearing lead performances of the year. Some of the key supporting players are Takehiro Hira and Mari Yamamoto. Hira delivers a strong, confident presence that gives way to a more broken person than meets the eye. Yamamoto is a nice combination of strength and vulnerability as well. One standout must be young Shannon Gorman who is so charming and endearing as the “daughter” of Phillip during one of his long-term scenarios. Her raw energy and personality just light up the screen like no other. Akira Emoto is excellent as well as the new friend that Phillip makes when portraying a journalist attempting to write about his acting legacy. There are not a lot of big characters, but the core cast really ties the experience together. 

Does Rental Family offer up the charming and moving cinematic experience as Hikari intended? This film is exactly what a lot of us want to see right now. Full of humor, emotion, and perspective, Hikari finds the right tone that can balance all the emotions without talking down to the audience. There are heavy moments along the way that will tear your heart out in the most cinematic of ways. Fraser is an absolute delight in the film and anchors down the whole experience. This exploration through Japanese culture and its impact on a transplant like Phillip and those that call it home is quite the engaging and moving cinematic experience.