Searchlight Pictures

Both the real world and film worlds are no stranger to the rental of actors to impersonate relatives, friends, romantic partners, or colleagues. The actors may attend funerals or weddings, meet for dinners or at bars, or show up at any event when a client needs an individual for any designated role. Japanese director/co-writer Hikari effectively dramatizes this practice in Rental Family as unemployed American actor Phillip Vandarpleog, living in contemporary Japan, must scramble for a job, landing work from a human rental agency.

Rental Family proves once again that movies open portals of knowledge about other cultures. Who knew that in Japan there are ‘rental family’ services? A client in Tokyo can hire a performer, usually an out-of-work actor, to play a character in his/hers or someone else’s life. When American ex-pat Philip Vandarploeug interviews with Shinji for the job, he doesn’t believe it either. But, apparently, there’s still a stigma in Japan about seeking psychological therapy so Shinji’s staff function as mental health professionals – and “We need a token white guy,” he explains.