BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — Brendan Fraser has every right to say, ‘I told you so’ with the release of his feature film “Rental Family.” Some were skeptical of his Oscar win for the 2022 film “The Whale” suggesting it was the makeup and wardrobe that generated the sympathy he needed to take home the Best Actor statue.
That skepticism would be justified if all Fraser had ever made were films in “The Mummy” franchise or by anyone unfortunate enough to see him in either “George of the Jungle” or “Dudley Do-Right.” Those credits would not support someone having strong acting skills.
The tune changes though when his film “Blast from the Past” goes into play. Fraser showed in that film the natural sympathy he can play while shaping a multi-layered and textured character. He shows those skills again in “Rental Family.”
“Rental Family” unfolds in modern-day Tokyo where American actor Phillip Vandarpleog (Brendan Fraser) is struggling to find work and purpose. That changes when he lands an unusual acting job working for a Japanese “rental family” agency.
His work consists of stand-in roles for strangers at funerals or even school evaluations. The biggest rule is to not get emotionally connected to the clients, but this is a rule that Vandarpleog constantly breaks.
One of his most massive emotional miscues is the connection he makes to Mia (Shannon Mahina Gorman) who is being raised by a single mother. If the youngster has any hope of being accepted to attend a prestigious school, a father and mother need to show up for the evaluation and selection interviews.
This is where Vandarpleog comes into the picture. It is decided the young girl needs to believe that Fraser’s character is really her father. As the two bond, Vandarpleog begins to question whether this impersonal rental system is helping or doing more harm.
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.
Those feelings become even clearer when the American actor is hired to pretend to be a reporter writing a feature on an acting legend, Kikuo Hasegawa (Akira Emoto), who is struggling with memory loss.
The American actor might be able to play a mourner or the star of a toothpaste commercial, but he is a failure when trying to keep an emotional distance. His decisions violate the trust the company has in him and the trust the public has in the company.
“Rental Family” is a touching story of respect, love, aging and the addictive need to be connected to others. Fraser shows how “The Whale” was no fluke and he always has had the ability to play characters who are sympathetic without making them so broken they can’t find a way to reveal their heart without compromise.
His best work is with Emoto and Shannon. He plays the character with a fatherly respect when dealing with the aging actor and as a father looking for respect with his faux daughter. Fraser comes across as being just as comfortable in each of the acting directions he must take.
Fraser’s work in “Rental Family” is not only validation for the Oscar attention he got for “The Whale” but it should generate more Oscar buzz this year. If those conversations start, Emoto’s name should also be mentioned. His work in this film is strong and heartbreaking.
One of the themes of “Rental Family’ is that life is often not fair. Those behind this touching and sweet tale will see how unfair life can be when the box office totals are revealed next week. “Rental Family” is opening against the juggernaut of “Wicked: For Good” and the number of tickets sold will be massively lopsided.
That’s unfair because between the two, “Rental Family’ is a much better production. If you opt to avoid the crowds for “Wicked: For Good,” “Rental Family” will be more than a worthy alternative.
Rental Family
Grade: A
Cast: Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Akira Emoto.
Director: Hikari
Rated: PG-13 language, thematic elements, suggestive material
Running time: 103 minutes.
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