Rental Family

A movie review by Alex First

There is acting and then there is ACTING.

Phillip Vandarploeug (Brendan Fraser) is an American actor who has lived in Japan for the past seven years.

Thus far, his big claim to fame is playing a superhero in a toothpaste commercial.

In other words, he is still looking for a meaty role and his funds are drying up.

And then he gets an unexpected break through a decidedly different talent agency.

Rental Family, owned and operated by Shinji (Takehiro Hira), provides actors to stand in as family members and friends when the situation calls for it.

Although uncomfortable with the concept, Vandarploeug decides to give it a go, only to all but pack it in before he has even started.

That’s because he can’t wrap his head around playing the groom of a woman named Yoshie (Misato Morita).

She is desperate to satisfy her parents by tying the knot in a traditional Japanese wedding ceremony.

Vandarploeug finally comes around to playing his part.

Thereafter, a succession of different jobs follows, and Vandarploeug proves to be good at them.

Mind you, he also becomes heavily invested in the roles in which he is cast, building emotional connections.

Two of those get under his skin.

One is acting as the estranged father of a young Hāfu girl named Mia Kawasaki (Shannon Mahina Gorman).

That term refers to a person born in Japan with half Asian and half non-Asian ancestry.

The reason he is engaged: Mia’s mother Hitomi (Shino Shinozaki) needs help getting her enrolled in a private school and that requires a male partner.

The second is acting as a journalist profiling a retired prolific actor, Kikuo Hasegawa (Akira Emoto), who has dementia and is being closely monitored by his daughter.

Vandarploeug bonds with both Mia and Kikuo.

Being kind-hearted, he finds it difficult to maintain his professional distance.

That will inevitably lead to problems for all concerned.

It then becomes a case of how best to navigate those issues, one of which threatens to destroy the business, while the other will inevitably leave a youngster let down.

At the same time, Vandarploeug forms a close connection with his co-worker Aiko (Mari Yamamoto).

One of her jobs is to pretend to be a mistress who apologises to the wives of unfaithful husbands. Sounds bizarre, right? But it accounts for a not insignificant part of the business.

Co-written with Stephen Blahut by director Hikari, Rental Family is a feel-good comedic drama.

There is a genuine warmth about how Brendan Fraser goes about his business here. He comes across as a really nice guy who is struggling with his moral compass.

It is evident in the way he carries himself throughout the piece and is most endearing.

There is much to like about the unusual premise and the interactions between Vandarploeug and Aiko.

Aiko, too, is an interesting character who also cares. There is sensitivity and understanding in Mari Yamamoto’s portrayal.

Engaging Vandarploeug also sees the Rental Family boss, Shinji grow. He carries a dark secret that will eventually out. Takehiro Hira brings strength and vulnerability to Shinji.

Shannon Mahina Gorman is delightful as the smart little girl who lets Vandarploeug into her life.

Kikuo Hasegawa is full on as the elderly man whose mind is slipping.

So, overall, the fish-out-of-water conceit works beautifully to create an engaging premise that promises to resonate with appreciative audiences.

Rated M, Rental Family scores an 8 out of 10.