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 businesses 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 individuals rental company – they rent individuals to play fathers, moms, sons, associates, husbands, no matter is important for somebody who must “hire” an individual. Rental Household is directed by the Japanese-American filmmaker generally known as Hikari (actual title Mitsuyo Miyazaki) as her second function movie following 37 Seconds, alongside together with her work directing the collection “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 Competition 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 staff Mari Yamamoto as Aiko and Kimura Bun as Kota. Alongside the best way, Phillip meets purchasers together with Akira Emoto as Kikuo Hasegawa, an previous retired Japanese actor who he befriends, and Shannon Mahina Gorman as Mia Kawasaki, a mixed-race younger lady in want of a father determine. This beautiful movie is all about connection, and the way lonely all of us are (even in a metropolis like Tokyo with 30+ million individuals), and the way all of us want one another… And whereas Phillip’s job is to provide a pretend efficiency, he finally builds an actual relationship with the purchasers 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 contemporary air to take pleasure in 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 changing into a director was virtually by probability. It was like, wow, like I am a director now, what sort of story can I inform to the world, proper? I’ve finished so many various professions and I lastly obtained right here. And alongside the best way I realized quite a bit, 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 wish to take that with no consideration. 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 individuals. It wasn’t even intentional. It simply type of got here in naturally.
I wished to inform a narrative about this rental household enterprise primarily based in Japan. And relatively than specializing in the one that rents, which could possibly be tremendous dramatic. It is a very high-quality line we have now to stroll, significantly, speaking about material like this… I wished to ensure we’re on the opposite aspect with the individuals 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 realized in my life: we’re not alone, clearly, however should you really feel that approach then you must attain out to individuals. 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 every little thing 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 concentrate on.
Brendan Fraser is probably the most healthful, very very emotive, unbelievable actor that I obtained fortunate to work with. He actually introduced all people collectively. And all people’s actually reacting to what he has to convey. So it was an ideal, nice, nice expertise. And all of the [other] actors had been additionally unbelievable, too. So I obtained actually fortunate. I additionally grew up watching Nineties & late Nineteen Eighties, nerdy feel-good motion pictures. 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. Very last thing I wished to do was simply get depressed watching a film, actually, so I simply wished to provide 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 isn’t that you just’re copying from his movie, I am extra a lot interested in 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 anyone stated one thing… I watched the primary 10 minutes, nevertheless it was onerous for me to observe extra. I believed it was a documentary and it wasn’t… The entire thing simply felt slightly bit, to me, too compelled. However I wished to [work] by myself contemporary thought, so as soon as I watched the primary 10 minutes, I am like, I do not wish to watch this and I simply wish to go together with my intestine and simply [stick to my] story. I’ve to do one thing good for my individuals, like, be uplifted. If individuals 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 sturdy message about telling Japanese society that they should be much less conservative & harsh and that possibly they should let some American gaijin are available in and train them how you can be a bit extra open. And how you can be extra trustworthy and okay with making modifications. 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 loads of shaking was occurring. For instance, first beginning out with the lesbian couple as a result of in Japan, homosexual males are extra beloved, 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 not rise up for themselves, in order that they’ll study to say sufficient is sufficient. And by doing so, making that first step, anyone else goes to study who’s the boss on this case. So I simply wished to indicate and categorical the domino impact. If you happen to rise 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 realized an ideal about society there now, I discover that it appears to be a typical theme that many foreigners convey up. However I additionally assume this movie presents it in such a good looking approach. Do you truly imagine that there’s hope in, if not with this movie, within the concepts that you have offered, that this might change issues and society can develop and enhance slightly bit?
Hikari: That is precisely what I wish to at all times discuss, as a result of, effectively… I at all times pray for world peace, for everyone to be handled equally, and that everyone can rise up [for themselves]. We’re born right here for a purpose – to raise one another. That is my philosophy. My individuals are standing up for themselves. And the film [might] encourage them to face up for themselves individually. It truly creates this large vitality the place all people goes – “okay, I believe 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 in addition makes you are feeling optimistic. 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 vitality transferring to a optimistic place.
For me, it is crucial to ship a message as a filmmaker. However I additionally actually do imagine 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 should overflow. It is the identical factor – vitality, every little thing, it is all the identical. 1000%. I imagine that – the film can change individuals’s perspective. As a filmmaker, I’ve to imagine that, or in any other case individuals are going to odor it from miles away. And no person’s going to go see it. For me, it was only a very real [belief]: displaying that we might be good, individuals might be good, all people might be good. And we’re all right here for one another, we’re discovered household, it does not matter should you’re black or white or yellow or no matter. Or come from a distinct tradition. As you talked about, Phillip making that step, like I may be gaijin from outdoors, however I’ll attempt to perceive that is my residence now. That is one thing he desires to make progress with. I hope, knock on wooden, I believe all of us want to return collectively in that approach.
Among the different critiques 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 believe cinematically it makes the story extra endearing. I am shocked by these detrimental critiques. 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 believe for me, if we had been to go down the route of specializing in the individuals 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 isn’t a contented ending film. And I actually considered it, too. Earlier than we determined to concentrate on the American man, we went by means of so many various situations: What if this, what if that, what if [we follow] 5 individuals who hire 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 stored going again to this and asking if we must always concentrate on these individuals? 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 anyone who desires to hire, proper, after which anyone coming in. Maybe there could possibly be a relationship that can develop, which I didn’t wish to do as a result of it is so cliche… Usually instances this particular person, they begin feeling slightly 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? “It is best to come at it with a narrative about this attitude of those individuals who hire.” However by altering that, I discovered… Whereas these individuals 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 vitality. They’re asking, paying cash, then they’re offering, however on the identical time, they’re being appreciated.
More often than not [the performers] are being appreciated. So there is a love change that’s occurring, although there is a transactional relationship that they undergo. And that, for me, was the story I wished to inform. The rest 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 critiques anymore, however individuals nonetheless discuss it. All of us shot it. I’ve a complete heavy-handed backstory of Aiko [that we filmed]. However then I wished to return to what the main target 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 give up. That is sufficient for her. And that is one thing a majority of individuals are [connecting to anyway]. When others say I ought to’ve finished extra with them, effectively 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 taking part in in theaters nationwide and can be out there to observe at residence quickly as effectively. The movie is certainly one of my favorites of the yr and comes extremely advisable. Watch the official trailer right here together with the making of featurette together with Hikari speaking about working with Brendan Fraser.
