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At London Premiere, Brendan Fraser Says 'Rental Family' Restored His Confidence

The Japan-set drama by Hikari is drawing warm festival reactions ahead of a U.S. release on November 21.

Overview

  • Fraser attended the BFI London Film Festival screening and said making the film helped him overcome long-standing insecurity.
  • Directed and co-written by Hikari, the story follows an American actor in Tokyo who takes roles through a rental-family service.
  • Early reviews praise Fraser’s empathetic performance and the film’s tender focus on loneliness and connection.
  • Some critics note the narrative’s restraint and say it glosses over knottier cultural and racial issues raised by the premise.
  • Searchlight will release the film in the U.S. on November 21, with an international rollout, including the UK, beginning in January 2026 after a multi-year production slowed by the pandemic and strikes.