Brendan Fraser’s “incredible” drama with “clever twist” lands new UK streaming home

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You can now watch a captivating drama called Rental Family on Disney+. The film stars Brendan Fraser—best known from The Mummy—as Phillip Vanderploeg, an American actor living in Tokyo who is searching for meaning in his life.

He takes on a unique job with a Japanese agency, temporarily becoming a family member for people who need one. As he steps into these roles, he starts to develop real connections, making it hard to tell where the acting ends and genuine relationships begin.

The film also features strong performances from actors like Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman, and Akira Emoto.

Critics and audiences both loved Rental Family, with many calling James Fraser’s performance outstanding and a perfect fit for the role.

Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an 88% rating, and critics agree that Rental Family is a charming and heartwarming story about building genuine connections. They highlight Brendan Fraser’s excellent performance, noting it’s a perfect role for his talents, and praise the strong supporting cast.

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According to a review in The Spectator, the film is heartwarming and visually stunning. Director Hikari beautifully captures the city of Tokyo, and the story includes a surprising twist at the end.

I just saw Rental Family and it’s… interesting. It’s not a perfect movie – it has its ups and downs – but it’s really captivating. What makes it special isn’t just the story of this actor pretending to be someone else in Japan, but watching the actual actor navigate such a bizarre and unique career path. It’s fascinating to see how he’s handled everything.

RogerEbert.com praised the film as beautiful and thoughtful, highlighting its positive themes and surprising turns.

Movie Mom praised Rental Family as one of the year’s most touching and compassionate films, and Tribune News Service called it beautifully uplifting and subtly powerful.

HeyUGuys described the film as a heartwarming and enjoyable drama-comedy, highlighting Brendan Fraser’s impressive return to acting. It’s a feel-good movie that won’t be overly sad, but could subtly lift your spirits.

Rental Family is available to stream now on Disney+.

I’m so excited! The latest issue of Living Legends is out, and it’s a beautiful, full-color 100-page tribute to the amazing Sir David Attenborough! You can grab a copy at any newsagent or order it online – I already have mine!

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2026-04-16 12:49