Ryuichi Ichinokawa's life could be right out of the movie “Rental Family” as the founder nearly two decades ago of the Heart Project business in Japan, which he bills as a surrogate attendance service complete with furnishing of extras and family members.

Brendan Fraser stars in Hikari’s Rental Family, a heartfelt Tokyo-based drama-comedy hitting U.S. theatres on November 21, 2025. Here’s everything you need to know

Rental Family will only be available to watch in a movie theater, when it opens in the U.S. on Friday, November 21. You can find a showing near you via Fandango . Rental Family is not yet available to watch online or on streaming.

If you've ever wished you could hire someone as a faux family member to help you navigate a tricky social situation, the idea of a "rental family" may sound appealing — and that's the hook of Hikari 's new film Rental Family, which opens this weekend.

Looking for your next movie night pick? Arts editor Mike Schulz joined Living Local to spotlight three buzzworthy films lighting up screens and streaming platforms this weekend: Nouvella Vague, Rental Family,

But the “rent-a-family” industry is a real phenomenon in Japan. Their actors portray friends, spouses, family members, and other types of people. In the press notes, the director says that there are “about 300 companies that exist in Japan” right now.

Let me tell you about the actor Brendan Fraser. While he needs no introduction, it’s worth giving him one anyway. He is an actor with, among many talents working in

Rental Family’ is the intriguing story of Phillip Vandarploeug, an American actor living in Japan. He faces a career crisis, unable to find anything meaningful to do with his talents. A surprising job opportunity leads to unforeseen changes in his life.