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In a captivating turn of events, the film “Rental Family” has taken the cinematic world by storm, garnering enthusiastic reviews since its release. Currently showing in theaters, this movie offers a unique storyline that has captured the audience’s imagination.
The film stars Brendan Fraser, who steps into the shoes of an American actor named Phillip, struggling to find acting opportunities in Japan. Faced with dwindling prospects, he takes on an unconventional role—posing as a family member for strangers who seek companionship.
The creative mind behind this intriguing narrative is writer-director Hikari, who shared with ABC7 that the plot draws inspiration from a real-life service designed to foster human connections.
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As Phillip immerses himself in his new role with the “Rental Family,” he transitions from merely playing a part to forming genuine bonds with the clients he serves. This unexpected journey leads him to encounter extraordinary individuals, creating relationships that transcend the professional boundaries he initially anticipated.
“He just meets incredible people that he never expected to meet otherwise,” Hikari remarked, emphasizing the profound impact these interactions have on Phillip, evolving from mere job engagements to meaningful connections.
Hikari came to the U.S. as a teenager.
“I think the just from my experience being an exchange student in Utah, being the only Asian girl, the people I surround myself with became my best friends or my family… the chosen family,” Hikari said. “In America, the therapy and therapists are much more accessible. But countries like Japan or some parts of Asia, it’s not as easy. Some of them in our culture are a bit stigmatized. So if you have a mental illness, basically these companies, what they’re providing is a service to talk and be there for them.”
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Hikari discussed why they think Americans are so fascinated with Japanese culture.
“Japanese culture is very about harmony, right? Where as in America it is how to become individual in the how to voice your opinion. Which is the the reason why I moved to America, I need to voice my opinion,” Hikari said. “And also, Tokyo is kind of a crazy city, too. It just there’s a lot of animation that pop culture, fashion, hair everything is happening in one this like a giant place.”
Hikari spoke about the heart of the new movie.
“None of us have a perfect family, right? But then the families are who you surround yourself, found family,” Hikari said. “Let’s appreciate what you have instead of what you don’t have -you still can show the appreciation, because that love will come back to you.”
Disney is the parent company of Searchlight Pictures and this news station.