RENTAL FAMILY Trailer: Brendan Fraser Is a ‘Token White Guy' for Rent in Surprisingly Emotional Tease
Rental Family comes from director Hikari, whose work includes 37 Seconds, Tokyo Vice, and Beef. She also wrote the script, which is also credited to Stephen Blahut. While the premise of Rental Family could easily double as a comedy (and the beginning of this trailer certainly feels that way), this is a far more emotional story. It touches on expectations, connections, wish-fulfillment, and what it means to truly be a part of someone's life.
Here's Rental Family's official synopsis from Searchlight Pictures:
Set against modern-day Tokyo, Rental Family follows an American actor who struggles to find purpose until he lands an unusual gig: working for a Japanese 'rental family' agency, playing stand-in roles for strangers. As he immerses himself in his clients' worlds, he begins to form genuine bonds that blur the lines between performance and reality. Confronting the moral complexities of his work, he rediscovers purpose, belonging, and the quiet beauty of human connection.
The movie also stars Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Gorman, and Akira Emoto. It arrives in theaters this fall on November 21, 2025. If the Rental Family trailer is anything to go by, you'll not want to miss it.
Who will you go see it with, though? If you don't have anyone, maybe consider hiring an actor to play your friend. Not only would it be an appropriate way to see Rental Family, but who knows what might come of it? Playing pretend can often lead to something real.
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