Interview: 'Rental Family' Director Hikari on Crafting an Uplifting Film

Interview: ‘Rental Household’ Director Hikari on Crafting an Uplifting Movie

by Alex Billington December 23, 2025

“Typically the story we inform ourselves turns into the reality.” One of many yr’s most heartwarming, uplifting movies is Rental Household, impressed by the tales of actual rental companies in Tokyo, Japan. Academy Award-winner Brendan Fraser stars as an American actor residing in Tokyo who decides to tackle a job working for a folks rental company – they rent folks to play fathers, moms, sons, pals, husbands, no matter is critical for somebody who must “lease” an individual. Rental Household is directed by the Japanese-American filmmaker often called Hikari (actual identify Mitsuyo Miyazaki) as her second function movie following 37 Seconds, alongside along with her work directing the sequence “Beef” for A24 & Netflix. I am honored that I had an opportunity to spend a couple of minutes chatting with Hikari – I actually wished to ask her ideas about her uplifting intentions with the movie, the reactions to it, in addition to her hopes that it would affect Japanese society (and anybody else) to work on being a bit higher. Learn on for my convo with Hikari – and catch Rental Household in theaters now.

Rental Household is directed by Hikari, from a screenplay co-written by Hikari and Stephen Blahut. It initially premiered on the 2025 Toronto Movie Pageant and opened in theaters throughout Thanksgiving this fall. Brendan Fraser stars as Phillip Vanderploeg, the American man in Tokyo. The Rental Household company proprietor Shinji is performed by Takehiro Hira, with workers Mari Yamamoto as Aiko and Kimura Bun as Kota. Alongside the way in which, Phillip meets shoppers together with Akira Emoto as Kikuo Hasegawa, an outdated retired Japanese actor who he befriends, and Shannon Mahina Gorman as Mia Kawasaki, a mixed-race younger woman in want of a father determine. This pretty movie is all about connection, and the way lonely all of us are (even in a metropolis like Tokyo with 30+ million folks), and the way all of us want one another… And whereas Phillip’s job is to present a faux efficiency, he ultimately builds an actual relationship with the shoppers anyway. I am delighted I may speak with Hikari about it.

I used to be very moved by Joachim Trier’s assertion about “tenderness is the brand new punk” at Cannes this yr whereas speaking about his movie Sentimental Worth. And I really feel the identical approach with Rental Household and its tenderness. It is a breath of recent air to get pleasure from such a movie whereas there are such a lot of different heavy, miserable, intense movies being made. Is that this one thing you wished to place out into the world at this second?

Hikari: My first function movie [37 Seconds] was additionally in a approach uplifting. Me turning into a director was nearly by likelihood. It was like, wow, like I am a director now, what sort of story can I inform to the world, proper? I’ve performed so many various professions and I lastly acquired right here. And alongside the way in which I discovered rather a lot, typically in a tough approach, [through] experiences that I had in life… All of these life classes led me to this place. So I do not need to take that as a right. Once I was scripting this story it was proper round when the pandemic hit, too. I actually wished to make a narrative that connects all of us. With out realizing what was going to occur [at the time]. However nonetheless there’s continued isolation due to what occurred [during the pandemic]. I simply really feel like we have to make a extremely good story, a really feel good film, that actually connects folks. It wasn’t even intentional. It simply type of got here in naturally.

I wished to inform a narrative about this rental household enterprise based mostly in Japan. And reasonably than specializing in the one that rents, which might be tremendous dramatic. It is a very wonderful line now we have to stroll, significantly, speaking about subject material like this… I wished to ensure we’re on the opposite aspect with the folks offering the service, but we’re nonetheless studying from these individuals who want the service. For me it was crucial to share the message of what I discovered in my life: we’re not alone, clearly, however if you happen to really feel that approach then it’s a must to attain out to folks. You additionally should take that first step. In order that strategy of how Phillip moved from one place to the opposite place… At first, he is simply taking all the things in. Then as he will get concerned with the rental household enterprise, all people learns from one another. That was one thing that I actually wished to deal with.

Brendan Fraser is essentially the most healthful, very very emotive, unbelievable actor that I acquired fortunate to work with. He actually introduced all people collectively. And all people’s actually reacting to what he has to carry. So it was an important, nice, nice expertise. And all of the [other] actors had been additionally unbelievable, too. So I acquired actually fortunate. I additionally grew up watching Nineties & late Eighties, nerdy feel-good films. And that was my escape. My formative escape in cinema was to observe one thing that feels so good as a result of a lot shit was occurring in my life. Last item I wished to do was simply get depressed watching a film, actually, so I simply wished to present that to the viewers.

I additionally should ask concerning the connection between your movie and Werner Herzog’s movie Household Romance LLC and the similarities with this topic. It is not that you just’re copying from his movie, I am extra a lot inquisitive about what you are feeling concerning the connection between them.

Hikari: I heard about Herzog’s film as we had been filming, I did not know something about that film till I noticed that any person stated one thing… I watched the primary 10 minutes, however it was exhausting for me to observe extra. I assumed it was a documentary and it wasn’t… The entire thing simply felt a little bit bit, to me, too compelled. However I wished to [work] alone recent thought, so as soon as I watched the primary 10 minutes, I am like, I do not need to watch this and I simply need to go together with my intestine and simply [stick to my] story. I’ve to do one thing good for my folks, like, be uplifted. If persons are so down proper now then I’ve to discover a method to uplift them.

In Rental Household, it seems like there’s a very robust message about telling Japanese society that they must be much less conservative & harsh and that perhaps they should let some American gaijin are available and train them how you can be a bit extra open. And how you can be extra sincere and okay with making adjustments. And typically that is the lesson we have to hear and one thing that Japan wants to listen to. Was that your intention as somebody who is part of each worlds?

Hikari: Completely, for me a whole lot of shaking was occurring. For instance, first beginning out with the lesbian couple as a result of in Japan, homosexual males are extra cherished, however then lesbians they nonetheless have a lot strain from society. It’s, in a approach, shaking this factor… For me, it was about cheering to these women or boys who can’t get up for themselves, in order that they’ll study to say sufficient is sufficient. And by doing so, making that first step, any person else goes to study who’s the boss on this case. So I simply wished to indicate and specific the domino impact. If you happen to get up, then one thing else goes to occur with out you realizing about it. That is my thought of doing this. Thanks for noticing.

As somebody who has been to Japan and seen it for myself and discovered an important about society there now, I discover that it appears to be a standard theme that many foreigners carry up. However I additionally suppose this movie presents it in such a lovely approach. Do you truly consider that there’s hope in, if not with this movie, within the concepts that you have introduced, that this might change issues and society can develop and enhance a little bit bit?

Hikari: That is precisely what I need to all the time discuss, as a result of, properly… I all the time pray for world peace, for everyone to be handled equally, and that everyone can get up [for themselves]. We’re born right here for a cause – to raise one another. That is my philosophy. My persons are standing up for themselves. And the film [might] encourage them to face up for themselves individually. It truly creates this huge power the place all people goes – “okay, I feel it is time for us to alter, just a bit…” Change their perspective, change their angle, change something – if the film makes you are feeling a sure approach and likewise makes you are feeling constructive. By watching the film, it triggers like, oh no, I can not take this shit. Proper? Even simply that one step. It is only a wave of power transferring to a constructive place.

For me, it is crucial to ship a message as a filmmaker. However I additionally actually do consider that if all of us make the step ahead, at one level that is going to interrupt. If the water retains filling up the cup, sometime it will overflow. It is the identical factor – power, all the things, it is all the identical. 1000%. I consider that – the film can change folks’s perspective. As a filmmaker, I’ve to consider that, or in any other case persons are going to odor it from miles away. And no one’s going to go see it. For me, it was only a very real [belief]: exhibiting that we could be good, folks could be good, all people could be good. And we’re all right here for one another, we’re discovered household, it does not matter if you happen to’re black or white or yellow or no matter. Or come from a unique tradition. As you talked about, Phillip making that step, like I could be gaijin from outdoors, however I’ll attempt to perceive that is my house now. That is one thing he needs to make progress with. I hope, knock on wooden, I feel all of us want to come back collectively in that approach.

Among the different evaluations I’ve learn for this have been overly harsh in saying that the film is just too candy or too tacky. Which I do not agree with in any respect! I do not thoughts that it is candy or tacky, as a result of I feel cinematically it makes the story extra endearing. I am stunned by these unfavourable evaluations. And one level they point out is that they need the film would spend extra time on the backstories of the renters, which I additionally do not agree with both.

Hikari: I feel for me, if we had been to go down the route of specializing in the folks utilizing the service, that’s going to be such a miserable film. I am not going to lie about it, as a result of all people is available in asking about this… I’ve interviewed them [these people who rent], I understand how they’re. I do know the place the thoughts is. It is not a cheerful ending film. And I actually considered it, too. Earlier than we determined to deal with the American man, we went by means of so many various eventualities: What if this, what if that, what if [we follow] 5 individuals who lease out these companies, what’s the story that comes from it? Me and [co-writer] Stephen Blahut went by means of this strategy of like, what if, what if, what if, for months, even earlier than we began writing the script. We nonetheless saved going again to this and asking if we must always deal with these folks? And actually, it actually was a miserable film. And I may simply not make myself make a miserable film.

What occurred was, with the chemistry of any person who needs to lease, proper, after which any person coming in. Maybe there might be a relationship that can develop, which I didn’t need to do as a result of it is so cliche… Typically instances this individual, they begin feeling a little bit bit heavier than the opposite one, and it simply wasn’t the story I wished to inform. By us principally flipping the concept… As a result of that is the very first thing all people would say, proper? “You need to come at it with a narrative about this angle of those individuals who lease.” However by altering that, I discovered… Whereas these persons are requesting a rental as a result of they’re lonely, these people who find themselves offering the companies are literally getting a lot extra [out of it] too, as a result of they’re on this power. They’re asking, paying cash, then they’re offering, however on the similar time, they’re being appreciated.

More often than not [the performers] are being appreciated. So there is a love trade that’s occurring, though there is a transactional relationship that they undergo. And that, for me, was the story I wished to inform. Anything does not matter… No matter occurs, the actual fact is that they got here collectively – and that is what it’s. That’s human connection.

I do not even learn the evaluations anymore, however folks nonetheless discuss it. All of us shot it. I’ve an entire heavy-handed backstory of Aiko [that we filmed]. However then I wished to return to what the main focus is – the story I wished to inform. After which I made a decision to simply kill the infants and inform the story of Phillip as a result of the heaviness of Aiko, what occurred to her, is there in her efficiency [already]. I did not should spit it out and share with the viewers. Audiences sense it. And the truth that she steps out and says sufficient is sufficient, I stop. That is sufficient for her. And that is one thing a majority of persons are [connecting to anyway]. When others say I ought to’ve performed extra with them, properly I already answered that within the movie.

Thanks to Hikari for taking his time to do that interview and to SSM&L PR for arranging.

Hikari’s Rental Household movie is now enjoying in theaters nationwide and can be out there to observe at house quickly as properly. The movie is one among my favorites of the yr and comes extremely beneficial. Watch the official trailer right here together with the making of featurette together with Hikari speaking about working with Brendan Fraser.