“Rental Family” follows an American actor who struggles to find purpose until he begins working for a Japanese rental family agency.

“Rental Family” is a story about compassion, connection, love and loneliness. While many movies can claim to tackle these themes, most cannot reach the emotional heights of “Rental Family.”

The film spends all of its 103-minute runtime on the characters, allowing each one the space to breathe, evolve and reveal something meaningful.

A Cast That Carries Every Emotion

Brendan Fraser (Phillip) is the star of the show. He delivers an emotionally impactful performance, with depth echoing through every word. This is an award-worthy turn, one that is rooted in vulnerability.

He isn’t alone, however, as “Rental Family” features a tremendous ensemble. Notable performances come from Takehiro Hira (Shinji), Mari Yamamoto (Aiko), Akiro Emoto (Kikuo) and Shannon Gorman (Mia).

While Fraser leads, Gorman and Emoto may be the true heartbeat of the film. Playing characters with deeply affecting arcs, both actors are able to flourish. They go toe-to-toe with Fraser time and time again, grounding the movie’s most poignant moments.

This is why the film works – the characters. “Rental Family” spins a complicated web of side quests and subplots, yet it always feels whole. Providing a complete picture of each character, the movie’s emotional center rarely falters.

A Story That Nearly Loses its Footing

Still, the film does lose central focus at times. Trying to make the story both about Phillip and the Rental Family as a whole, it becomes muddled in the final act. The narrative briefly steps astray, but not for long.

While other movies might succumb to uneven pacing or drastic tonal shifts, “Rental Family” does not. Even as it shifts character focus or moves the story in a new direction, it always feels earned.

When “Rental Family” falls into formulaic territory, it adds new emotional stakes that keep the experience fresh. There aren’t many movies able to create the perfect puzzle, but this comes remarkably close.

A Beautiful World Built on Hope

Hikari directs a beautiful film, full of all the natural wonder Japan has to offer. It’s both intimate and wide-reaching, with stunning cinematography becoming core to the movie’s identity. With hopeful messaging also comes awe-inspiring visuals that linger long after the story ends.

“Rental Family” is emotional, charming and beautiful. It easily wins the award for most heartwarming movie of the year.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5