--- title: "Rental Family: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/rental-family/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/rental-family" critics_score: 59 critics_reviews: 16 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Rental Family (2025): what the critics said Critics' score 59 from 16 reviews: 9 positive, 2 mixed, 5 negative. The reviews are split, and widely. Nearly every critic, on either side, agrees on one thing: Brendan Fraser. His performance as a lonely actor taking work with a Tokyo rental-family agency is called tender, warm and unshowy by the admirers, and even several of the film’s detractors grant that he is sincere. The disagreement is over what Hikari has built around him. The positive reviews take the film as a gentle, feelgood comic drama about loneliness and connection, and many of them still note that it stays sunny and neat rather than facing the ethical questions its premise raises. The negative reviews say the same thing more harshly: mawkish, saccharine, glib, with supporting characters reduced to props and a story that makes little sense. The Guardian finds Fraser bland, a rare dissent on the lead. Time Out raises white-saviour concerns. Most critics land somewhere warm; a vocal minority are actively hostile. ## RogerEbert.com — Richard Roeper Fi1m's normalised score 85/100 (inferred from the text). 21 November 2025. The critic praises Hikari’s elegant direction and the tender performances, especially Brendan Fraser’s, calling it a beautiful, contemplative film with lovely messaging; highlights the insightful exploration of the rental family business and the character's cultural assimilation struggles. [Read the review](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/rental-family-brendan-fraser-film-review-2025) ## The Telegraph Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 16 January 2026. The film is described as a supremely sweet and touching comic drama in which Brendan Fraser delivers an extraordinary performance as a man finding connection through rental family work, reflecting on loneliness. [Read the review](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/2026/01/16/rental-family-review-brendan-fraser/) ## IndieWire — David Ehrlich Rating B. 19 November 2025. The review frames the film as a gig-economy drama about the roles people play, praising Fraser's central turn while exploring the blurred lines between performance and reality in modern life. [Read the review](https://www.indiewire.com/criticism/movies/rental-family-review-brendan-fraser-1235149619/) ## Empire — Beth Webb Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 15 January 2026. The critic calls it an affable crowdpleaser led by Brendan Fraser's open, empathetic performance as the lonely actor who forms real bonds. It stays sunny and sentimental without fully exploring the darker moral complexities of the rental agency premise. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/rental-family/) ## Vulture Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 21 November 2025. The review sees the film as an uneven but likable vehicle perfectly suited to Brendan Fraser, singling out his unique screen presence and the way the story mirrors his real-life career trajectory as its most compelling aspect. [Read the review](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-rental-family-proves-some-movies-need-brendan-fraser.html) ## Evening Standard — India Block Fi1m's normalised score 60/100 (inferred from the text). 17 October 2025. Festival review. Brendan Fraser radiates warmth and charm as the rent-a-dad in this gentle, feelgood tale of unlikely connections in Japan. The film raises intriguing topics around rental services and cultural clashes but shies away from deeper emotional or ethical exploration, remaining surface-level and neatly resolved. [Read the review](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/family-rental-review-brendan-fraser-hikari-llf-b1253252.html) ## Time Out — Hanna Flint Rating 3/5. 13 January 2026. The comedy-drama has charms despite being on the mawkish side, with Brendan Fraser delivering a tender performance as a man seeking connection. It singles out the strong supporting turns, especially from Shannon Mahina Gorman and Akira Emoto, while noting issues with white saviour territory and a too-neat ending. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/rental-family-review-2026) ## The AV Club — Tim Grierson Rating D+. 17 November 2025. The critic finds the film cloying and smug, faulting its overly sentimental approach to the rent-a-family premise and lack of psychological depth or nuance despite Fraser's sincere performance. [Read the review](https://www.avclub.com/rental-family-review) ## Variety — Peter Debruge Fi1m's normalised score 40/100 (inferred from the text). 7 September 2025. Festival review. The review finds the film maudlin and unconvincing, with Fraser’s self-pitying performance dragging it down, though it has thoughtful moments; criticizes the tone and lack of humor. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/rental-family-review-brendan-fraser-1236510093/) ## Slant Magazine — Alexander Mooney Rating 1/4. 10 September 2025. Festival review. The critic dismisses the film as mawkish and on-the-nose, complaining that it milks its premise for cheap humor and pathos while reducing supporting characters to props for the star's formulaic self-discovery arc. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/rental-family-review-brendan-fraser-hikari/) ## The Guardian — Peter Bradshaw Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 14 January 2026. The critic finds the film glib, silly and pointless, with Brendan Fraser a bland presence in a saccharine and implausible story about a rental family service. It is criticised for its complacent sentimentality and failure to meaningfully explore the premise. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jan/14/rental-family-review-brendan-fraser-japanese-role-play-drama-hikari) ## The Times Fi1m's normalised score 20/100 (inferred from the text). 15 January 2026. The review calls the film awful and shamelessly mawkish, with Brendan Fraser frequently in an overly sentimental mode in a melodrama about pretend family members that makes little sense. [Read the review](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/brendan-fraser-rental-family-film-review-hikari-hmpn77rf8) ## Financial Times Rating ★★★☆☆. 15 January 2026. The critic notes the film is a gooey feelgood comedy-drama about emotional role-play in Tokyo, where Brendan Fraser's charm carries a story that some may find charming despite its sugar-coated approach to clashing cultures and human connection. [Read the review](https://www.ft.com/content/76c29e89-f319-459a-9d24-39152ee0d050) ## Screen Daily 7 September 2025. Festival review. Brendan Fraser shines in an unconventional, endearing crowd-pleaser about a lost soul seeking connection. It singles out his affecting, unadorned performance and Hikari's thematic dexterity and visual acumen for praise. [Read the review](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/rental-family-review-brendan-fraser-shines-as-a-lost-soul-seeking-connection-in-tokyo-set-drama/5208648.article) ## Sight and Sound 15 January 2026. The film feels underdeveloped but is saved by its thoughtful performances. It singles out Brendan Fraser's magnetic, goofy yet genuine turn and the bond with the young girl Mia for praise. [Read the review](https://www.bfi.org.uk/sight-and-sound/reviews/rental-family-brendan-fraser-brings-goofy-charm-this-restrained-fish-out-water-comedy) ## The Hollywood Reporter — Frank Scheck 6 September 2025. Festival review. The critic calls it a charming surprise of a dramedy that balances poignancy and humor with rare delicacy, highlighting Brendan Fraser's superlative lead performance as the standout element. [Read the review](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/rental-family-review-brendan-fraser-hikari-1236362251/) ## Deadline — Pete Hammond Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 6 September 2025. Festival review. The critic calls it a sweet and lyrical movie about finding human connection through Japan's real-life rental family services. Fraser delivers a soulful, understated performance in this gentle, humane comedy that the whole family can enjoy. [Read the review](https://deadline.com/2025/09/rental-family-review-brendan-fraser-toronto-1236508593/) ## Eye for Film — Jennie Kermode Fi1m's normalised score 80/100 (inferred from the text). 14 January 2026. The film is a well-paced, thoughtful character study that balances drama with gentle comedy. Fraser delivers a standout unshowy performance that anchors the story of an outsider finding unexpected connections. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/rental-family-2025-film-review-by-jennie-kermode) ## HeyUGuys — Linda Marric Rating 4/5. 17 October 2025. Festival review. Fraser gives a tender, quietly funny performance in this bittersweet exploration of loneliness and connection. The film succeeds as a gently moving character study but retreats into sentimentality without fully confronting its deeper questions. [Read the review](https://www.heyuguys.com/rental-family-review-lff-2025/) ## Collider — Ross Bonaime Fi1m's normalised score 70/100 (inferred from the text). 12 September 2025. Festival review. The film offers a tender, sweet drama anchored by Brendan Fraser's warm, gentle lead performance that plays perfectly to his strengths as a likable everyman. Hikari crafts a charming tone with strong supporting turns, but the screenplay stays light and could have explored the characters and their backstories in greater depth. [Read the review](https://collider.com/rental-family-review-brendan-fraser/) ## The Playlist — Gregory Ellwood Rating B-/C+. 6 September 2025. Festival review. Fraser brings emotional depth to the role of an actor discovering purpose through rental family gigs in Tokyo. The film offers genuine tears through its sentimental tone but feels limited by its English-language perspective and casting choices. [Read the review](https://theplaylist.net/rental-family-review-brendan-fraser-finds-unexpected-connections-in-japan-tiff-20250906/) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/rental-family.md