Rental families are real agencies in Japan that provide actors to stand-in for a family member or friend. In this case, Brendan Fraser plays an American who’s been living in Tokyo for l7 years without much luck. He starts to work with this group and his first two clients are a young girl who needs a father and an ailing actor who deserves some final respect. Needless to say, his involvement becomes more than a job, which is the crux of the film. Sadly, Hikari has directed with a gentle pace, which means slow and lacking much variety. Even the conflicts are polite and the emotions are restrained. Fraser leans into his sweet persona and he’s the movie’s best asset. This drama attempts to be poetic and heartwarming, but it’s not deep or dark enough to generate the desired effect. 
(1.5 / 5)
