(Image: Searchlight Pictures)
Director Hikari, who co-directed the Netflix series "Beef" two years ago, is set to return to the big screen this winter with her second feature film, "Rental Family," following "37 Seconds." The film recently unveiled several promotional posters (pictured below) and officially dropped its first trailer tonight.
"Rental Family" was written by Hikari and Stephen Blahut, the cinematographer for "37 Seconds." The cast features Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, and Brendan Fraser, among others. It is slated for a North American release on November 21, following its world premiere next month at the Toronto International Film Festival.
※ Watch the first trailer below ▼
(Image: Searchlight Pictures)
Set in Tokyo, the film follows an American actor whose career has stalled. He unexpectedly finds an unusual acting gig: being hired by a "rental family" agency to portray relatives, friends, partners, or even fathers in strangers' daily lives. As he becomes increasingly immersed in his clients' worlds, he begins to form genuine emotional connections, blurring the lines between performance and reality. While grappling with the inherent moral complexities of the job, he rediscovers his own purpose, a sense of belonging, and the quiet beauty of human connection.