RIOTUS

Omg, this movie—it is perfection.  It is cute, it is moving, it is all the things!  During this holiday season, where we are praying that no one brings up politics or yells at the kids for just being kids, this movie will remind you how much you love them.

Rental Family follows Phillip (Brendan Fraser), a washed-up actor, as he stumbles upon a whole new stage…a very intimate stage, created for the one person he is playing to. Phillip portrays the grieving friend, the interested reporter, a gamer friend, or the groom-to-be, basically, anything someone needs, as long as they can pay. But he becomes attached and starts blurring the line between what the clients ask for and what they really need.  

Right from the start, when Phillip has to attend a funeral—for a man who is not dead—Rental Family is a home run.  The story is something totally new, but 100% relatable (especially in today’s world, where loneliness is the norm).  I cannot sing its praises enough, everything from the casting to the filming…it is all just stellar.

The idea that we all have something we are missing in our lives or a problem, that could be filled by someone else is magical. I found myself thinking about my parents (who are both gone now) a lot during this movie. What I wouldn’t give to introduce my daughter to her grandparents, even if they weren’t real…just to give her a day to be with them. I can fill in the stories, but I can’t fill in the presence. And I started thinking about when I’m older…am I going to want someone to come sit with me and listen to me ramble? This movie touches on that desire for human connection, and shows it all the love.

Fraser is perfect for this role, his wide-eyed American look helps place him as the outsider trying to come in…but his Japanese and desire to fit into Japanese culture show us so much more. He’s a stellar actor and perfect for this role. He’s surrounded by fellow amazing cast members, including Aiko (Mari Yamamoto), a woman passionate about the work they are doing inside the “rental family” agency.  

Yamamoto is just as amazing as Fraser—her whole body acts, not just her face or voice.  Every part of Yamamoto embodies Aiko, the passion, the distress…when she crawls over the top of a toilet stall to confront Frazer, I’ve never been more impressed. 

The director (Hikari) was so subtly wonderful, you don’t even think about the fact that there was someone behind the camera orchestrating this whole beautiful story.  We don’t often see films like this, that are so embedded in a culture other than our own, without trying to make it feel so different. This film is all about making it relatable because it is.

Honestly, take a moment during this busy holiday season and forget the stress, shopping and cooking. Get a comfy seat at your nearest theater and dive into a story that is both alien and familiar, haunting and comforting, moving and joyous.  

Tens across the board!!!!