Rental Family – Review

Gaijin Phillip Vanderploeg (Fraser) misses his train heading to his audition, but he scrambles and makes it there very late at the end. He is let in and gives his best shot for the role. Phillip has lived in Tokyo for seven years, but still fails to fully connect with all of the culture. He knows Japanese fairly well, but does not have enough gravitas to land many acting roles, outside a popular advertisement where he plays a superhero toothpaste dispenser.

At the end of his day, he retires home to his small apartment and looks out over at the next building across the street. He imagines connecting with others and having more in his life through the people interacting. He is definitely lonely. The next morning, he gets a call for a role, and he needs the funds, so he takes the gig. It is a strange production, where he will play “sad American” at some unknown event.

He arrives a bit late, but is able to find a seat. The event in question? A strange funeral proceeding. The man in the coffin is not actually dead however. Sad letters are read by loved ones, and people grieve, as if the real thing. Aiko Nakajima (Yamamoto) reads a heartbreaking love letter about her one and only leaving the Earth too soon. People sob. Then Shinji Tada (Hira) leads the final goodbye.

What the hell is going on? Well, it turns out there is a solid enough need for actors for most any event, real or otherwise, such as a “living” funeral. This “dead” man just wanted to feel some love and like he finally deserves to exist. He is very thankful, and gratefully expresses himself to Shinji, who actually ran the performance through his company. Aiko is another one of his employees.

Phillip winds up talking to Shinji about the event, which he dubs a “Specialized Performance.” The two decide that they may be able to work together, and Phillip may get to be more than just a sad American. Rental Family, Inc is the business name and “Providing Perfect Happiness” is the tagline. Shinji sees it as selling emotion, playing roles in clients’ lives.

Shinji tells Phillip he needs to help people connect to whatever role is needed, such as parents, boyfriends, best friends, siblings and more. They need a token white guy, so Phillip may fit right into the niche role.

This strange start looks to give Phillip both a constant job, as well as a potential for internal growth himself, despite him not seeing it that way yet. He decides to give it a try, despite some hesitancy. This begins a journey of discovery for himself, and his fusing with the local culture, as well as growing up and connecting in ways he did not think possible.

Rental Family may sound like a strange plot, and service, but it is gracefully done and presented with plenty of emotion and it is easy to connect to all the characters, even the ones seeking rental services. People often don’t have the support they need in their lives, and sometimes just a push in the right direction or a kind word can change everything. People have been waiting for these moments their whole lives. Sometimes you just need someone to look you in the eye and remind you that you exist.

Rental Family requires delicate acting, and it is not presented as hokey, cheesy, or silly, which was a tall task for both the director and actors involved. The concepts at play are simple, but important, and drawing out the right emotions was key. The script is entertaining and does have some fun in it, as well as tons of life observations and growth for its characters. It truly is a human piece, but it is a fun journey to take, through all of its highs and lows.

“Sparkle! Shine! Tighten Gums! Clear Bright!”