Brendan Fraser, known for his quirky comedic and, at times, impressive dramatic roles, has portrayed characters like George of the Jungle and Rick O’Connell in The Mummy Trilogy. His star began to dim from the 2000s to the 2010s due to a decline in the box office performance of his films. But his Oscar-winning role as The Whale in Darren Aronofsky’s film brought him the recognition he truly deserves. His latest film, Rental Family, will further enhance his resume.
Brendan Fraser portrays Phillip Vandarploueg, a middle-aged, struggling actor who believes relocating to Japan will revive his career. After a disappointing toothpaste commercial and a series of forgettable film roles, he is compelled to sign with an agency that provides actors to families during challenging times. The agency, Rental Family, is run by Shinji, played by Takehiro Hira, in a role that starts out as superficial but soon begins to reveal the owner’s motivations for running the agency.
When Philip is first approached by Shinji to work for the agency, the actor is skeptical. But with few offers for real acting jobs, Philip needs the money. The first “role” he’s asked to play is as a grieving American at a funeral. He arrives late after the service has started. The dead man’s wife, as well as some of his co-workers and friends, read tributes. Philip is startled when the dead man sits up in his coffin, reacting emotionally to what he’s hearing. Turns out, the man wasn’t dead but just wanted to experience his funeral before he died.
Philip begins to understand what the agency is selling – performances to somehow make people feel better or to correct a past indiscretion. One of its most popular services is “the apology,” having Aiko (Mari Yamamoto) play a man’s mistress and apologize to his wife. Aside from absolving the man from any wrongdoing, the wife gets to take out her anger on the other woman. On one occasion, the wife slaps Aiko and when Philip later sees his co-worker’s bruised face, he’s appalled.
Brendan Fraser and Akira Emoto in RENTAL FAMILY. Photo by James Lisle/Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
Shinki tries to explain to Philip that, unlike in America, the Japanese people have to save face. That’s the service his agency provides. On one assignment, Philip plays a groom preventing the gay bride from humiliating her parents. While Philip is warned not to become emotionally attached to any of the clients, he lets down his guard with two. An aging actor, Kikuo Hasegawa (Akira Emoto), feels lonely and forgotten. His daughter hires Philip to impersonate a magazine writer putting together a profile of Kikuo. The old man enjoys spending time talking to Philip, so much so that the daughter wants the actor fired, afraid Philip will grant her father’s last wish to visit his hometown.
The other client is a single mother who is trying to get her daughter into a competitive school. Past efforts have failed because Mia (a talented Shannon Mahina Gorman), does not have a father. Philip, renamed Kevin, is introduced to Mia as her long lost father who has been spending time in America. After the school interview, Philip is told to tell Mia he has to go back to America. She’s upset, although not as hurt as Philip. But when she sees one of Philip’s old films on TV, she confronts her mother and learns the truth.
The film’s dialogue is in both English and Japanese with some subtitles. (Fraser learned to speak some Japanese for the role.) Philip tells Aiko that he has been in Japan for seven years, but is still figuring out the people and the culture. Turns out that the Japanese also have much to learn from Philip.
Top: Shannon Gorman and Brendan Fraser in RENTAL FAMILY. Photo by James Lisle/Searchlight Pictures. © 2025 Searchlight Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
