Rental Family (2025)

Hikari | US, Japan | 2025 | 110 min | M18 (Some Mature Content) A lonely American actor in Tokyo steps into the lives of strangers, finding new purpose as their stories begin to shape his own. Phillip, an American actor who has lived alone in Tokyo for the past seven years, spends his evenings gazing wistfully through his window at his neighbours’ lives. His claim to fame is playing a toothpaste superhero in a viral commercial, but his acting career has dried up. After unknowingly accepting a well-paid gig as a mourner at a fake funeral, he gets roped into the world of rental family services, playing borrowed roles in the lives of strangers. Though tasked with selling emotion to others, Phillip quickly becomes entangled in the genuine connections he builds with his clients. Light-hearted and tender, Rental Family reveals unexpected warmth and gentle hope beneath the loneliness of the modern city.