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Trailer

Rental Family

2025Movie1 h 50 minPG-13

ComedyDrama
77
GreatGoodWatch score
IMDb7.5Metacritic647.5Rotten Tomatoes87%93%

A wholesome, hopeful comedy movie about everyday modern life and family.

Good for date night · family movie night · friends night

Skip it if you want fast pacing · you want dark or edgy material

Where to watch

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Not for brutality, scares or adrenaline.

Movies with

Story

Happiness tailored to you!

An American actor in Tokyo struggles to find purpose until he lands an unusual gig: working for a Japanese 'rental family' agency, playing stand-in roles for strangers. As he immerses himself in his clients' worlds, he begins to form genuine bonds that blur the lines between performance and reality.

Feels like

  • Heartwarming Family Drama
  • Intergenerational Connection
  • Gentle Comedy of Manners
  • Emotional Healing
  • Quiet Realism
  • Strong Dialogue Focus
  • Bittersweet Tone
  • Comfort Viewing
  • Humanistic Storytelling
  • Subtle Humor

Cast

24 of 33

Crew

Directed by
Hikari
Written by
Hikari, Stephen Blahut
Produced by
Hikari, Julia Lebedev, Eddie Vaisman
Music by
Jon Thor Birgisson, Alex Somers

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

November 20, 2025 · 1 h 50 min · PG-13

Released
November 20, 2025
Runtime
1 h 50 min
Age rating
PG-13
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Original language
English
Also spoken
Japanese
Made in
United States
Box office
$27 million
Available in
70 countries

Tropes

The Beard, Parental Substitute, Platonic Prostitution +1

  • The Beard
  • Parental Substitute
  • Platonic Prostitution
  • Token Minority

From TV Tropes.

Q&A

5 questions, like "Where can I stream Rental Family?"

Questions about Rental Family

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Rental Family?

Hulu

In the United States, Rental Family streams on Hulu. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, YouTube, Google Play Movies, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 57 other countries.

Is Rental Family worth watching?

77
GreatGoodWatch score

Mostly, it's well received, with a GoodWatch score of 77 (IMDb 7.5, Rotten Tomatoes 87%, and Metacritic 64).

Is Rental Family okay for kids?

PG-13

Yes: it's rated PG-13 in the United States, and the viewing guide lists it for kids.

Will Rental Family make me laugh?

Light

Now and then: the humor is mostly sharp wit (6 of 10) and situational comedy (5 of 10).

Is Rental Family plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on dialogue centrality (9 of 10) and character depth (8 of 10) more than on its plot.