Brendan Fraser’s Rental Family Sets Digital Release and Wows Critics

Rental Family, a unique collaboration between Japan and the United States, is bringing Brendan Fraser back into the spotlight. Directed by Hikari, known for his work on Tokyo Vice and the Netflix hit Beef, this moving drama will be available for digital rental and purchase starting January 13, 2026, on platforms like Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home. Fans looking for a physical copy can expect its release on February 17, 2026. However, there’s still no word on when it will hit subscription- based streaming services.

Premiering in theaters in November 2025, the film features Fraser alongside a talented international cast, including Mari Yamamoto, Akira Emoto, Takehiro Hira, and Shannon Mahina Gorman. The story centers on Phillip Vanderploeg, a struggling American actor living in Tokyo who stumbles into an unusual job: standing in as a family member or acquaintance for people seeking connection in their lives. The official synopsis describes the film as follows:

"Set in modern-day Tokyo, Rental Family stars Brendan Fraser as a has-been American actor searching for purpose and belonging in a society where he feels increasingly adrift. An unexpected acting call leads him to a 'rental family' agency, where he is hired to play stand-in roles for strangers seeking connection. As performance begins to blur with reality, the immersive role-playing awakens his humanity and compassion, drawing him deeply into his clients’ lives and pushing him off-script whenever his empathetic heart takes over."

Critical Acclaim and Audience Response

Since its debut, Rental Family has earned widespread praise from critics and audiences alike. The film currently boasts an 88% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, earning the Certified Fresh badge, while the audience score soars even higher at 96%, marked as Verified Hot. Fraser’s performance has been singled out as one of the year’s most memorable, with many calling it a career highlight.

MovieWeb’s Mark Keizer commended Fraser’s nuanced portrayal, writing,

"Fraser beautifully undersells Hikari and co-writer Stephen Blahut's most dramatic lines of dialogue using facial combinations so expressive that his head must have its own winch-and-pulley system. It's a very sweet and sympathetic performance."

Despite the accolades, Fraser has yet to appear on the ballots for Best Actor in the 2026 awards season, a surprising omission given the film’s reception.

Inside the Character and Director ’s Vision

Director Hikari has spoken about the depth and relatability of Fraser’s character, Philip.

"Philip is how he connects with other characters,"

Hikari explains.

"He's basically never married. He marries a woman. He never had a child. He has a child, and he also plays a father role. That's how he invests his life. What he did in these steps again was not stop. He kept going. I want to learn."

Hikari further elaborates on Philip’s journey:

"That is his willingness to learn. He's willing to take a step. He says he's willing to do whatever the clients want. It really led him to have this whole family, and then also woke up a lot of people as he went too—for example, Takehiro Hira's character, Shinji Tada. I really hope our audience will see themselves in Philip, get in his shoes, walk as if they're Philip, and then discover what they find."