How to watch Rental Family in New Zealand
Brendan Fraser finds unexpected connections in this Tokyo-set dramedy.
Brendan Fraser is a fish out of water in this trenchant culture clash dramedy from Japanese-American filmmaker Hikari (37 Seconds, Beef).
How to watch Rental Family in New Zealand
Rental Family is screening exclusively in New Zealand cinemas from December 26, 2025, so make a note for your Boxing Day viewing.
What is Rental Family about?
Our man Fraser is a lonely American actor, Phillip Vandarploeug, living in Japan, who gets a gig with a Rental Family agency. This is a real thing, and the sort of topic that used to find its way onto Buzzfeed listicles fairly frequently: companies exist that provide actors to portray the family, friends, and/or partners of isolated or lonely people.
Perhaps inevitably, Phillip finds himself forging deep connections with some of his clients, alleviating his own loneliness and isolation, and we proceed from there. In lesser hands, this could be an unbearably twee and maniuplative experience, but advance word says that this one is absolutely worth it.
The cast of Rental Family
Brendan Fraser is Phillip Vandarploeug, an American actor living in Japan; Takehiro Hira is Shinji, owner of the Rental Family agency; Mari Yamamoto is Aiko, an employee of the Rental Family agency; Shannon Mahina Gorman is Mia Kawasaki, a young girl who needs a father figure; Shino Shinozaki is Mia’s mother, a Rental Family client; and Akira Emoto is Kikuo Hasegawa, a retired actor and also a client of the Rental Family agency.
Rental Family trailer
Why we’re excited about Rental Family
Everyone loves a comeback, and Brendan Fraser’s has been one of the most deeply satisfying we’ve seen in a while. Following his award season stampede off the back of his turn in The Whale, the former George of the Jungle has been making careful choices with his roles and delivering soulful, deeply moving performances in each and every one.
