‘Masterpiece’ film with Brendan Fraser will leave you ‘ugly crying’ | Films | Entertainment

Brendan Fraser leads the cast of a “beautifully made” film that has left viewers “question how we see life”. Rental Family, now available to stream on Disney+ and featuring Shogun actor Takehiro Hira, centres on an American actor who is struggling to find his place in the world after relocating to Japan. Fraser portrays Phillip Vanderploeg, who signs up with a Tokyo-based agency called Rental Family, which supplies actors to serve as stand-in relatives.

From attending funerals to stepping in as a father figure, Phillip takes on a variety of roles, yet gradually develops a heartfelt connection with some of those who hire him. Faced with a crossroads, Phillip must choose between continuing his work with the agency or returning to his acting career, reports the Mirror.

Taking to Reddit to share their thoughts, one viewer wrote: “I’ve just watched it today. I am an older person, however this did kick me in the feels. Wonderfully shot, beautifully made. Make the time to see it. It’s a slow burner however it did make me think about life and how we see it.

“It made me feel like something is missing in my own life. Maybe for the good or not, i don’t know. Just take out some time and watch.”

In response, a fellow viewer commented: “I didn’t expect to ugly cry during this one, but I did. I thought it was supposed to be a sweet heartwarming comedy.

“Loved the film. Great acting all round. Such a heartfelt, funny and touching film. Absolutely loved the cinematography, and the score was sublime,” another enthusiastic viewer added. A third continued: “Just watched Rental Family today. It is an underrated film in my opinion. I was impressed by the storytelling, themes, and character development, and all of that in under 2 hours. Wow!”

Released in 2025, the film has earned an impressive 88% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Rental Family is available to stream on Disney+