Rental Family – Movie Review
Brendan Fraser, who in the last few years has surged back into the Hollywood limelight with an Academy Award nomination, has a unique and touching tenderness as a human – something you can see in his interviews – and as an actor. And it’s that tenderness that lends incredibly well to Hikari’s latest film, Rental Family.
Fraser plays Phillip, an American actor living in Japan who rose to fame after doing a toothpaste commercial that went viral, but is struggling to find more meaningful work in years following the successful advertisement. But, a unique opportunity arises for Phillip when he is contracted by a company called Rental Family, who hire people to act as stand-in family members and friends for strangers, as their “token white guy”.
Phillip attends funerals and weddings before landing two longer term roles – the first being a returning, estranged father for a young girl named Mia, who never met her real father, and the second being a journalist profiling a retired actor who is slowly deteriorating due to his dementia. What follows is a wonderfully touching journey into the exploration of purpose and identity, and the impact of human connection.
Rental Family is a patient and quiet film that thrives in the sincere moments of watching humans connect with each other on emotionally intimate levels. Hikari has made such an interesting decision in having a white American man living in Japan as it leads to an engaging exploration of the two different cultures, but also the similarities they hold. It’s always touching to see people from different walks of life and cultures bonding over the innate humanity we all share living on this planet.
As much as this story focuses on the importance of connection, it also doesn’t shy away from the complexities that come with Phillip’s job as a stand-in family member, something that has conflict arise a lot in the storyline involving him being the “father” to Mia. There is an intriguing morality tale at play as Mia forms a bond with Phillip, and vice-versa, as Phillip grapples with knowing that the situation isn’t real, but the emotions are. However, one of the flaws in Rental Family is that this interesting examination of relationships only really occurs in this one storyline, and while the other stories within the film are still touching, they don’t necessarily feel as rich in depth as the one involving Mia.
Brendan Fraser is truly inspired casting as Phillip. The “gentle giant” demeanour that Fraser holds lends to both the tender emotionality of the story, but also some great gags. A scene early on where Phillip attends his first funeral as part of Rental Family finds its humour in the awkwardness of Phillip not really knowing what to do at a Japanese funeral ceremony, but also because he is towering over everyone in the room, making him stand out immensely. But it’s the “gentle” part of his demeanour that allows every emotional moment that Phillip goes through feel authentic and genuine, something that Fraser does sincerely, and seemingly with ease.
Not all of Rental Family’s emotional swings hit, but the tenderness at its core makes for a charming film that wears its heart on its sleeve, with a wonderfully heartfelt performance from Brendan Fraser to make it really feel sincere.
Rental Family is in Australian cinemas December 26
