Overview

• The Tokyo-set dramedy, co-written and directed by Hikari, premiered at TIFF to a standing ovation and strong audience response.
• Fraser portrays an American actor who takes gigs with Japan’s real “rental family” industry, where performers are hired to fill surrogate roles in clients’ lives.
• Critics widely praise Fraser’s performance, with several reviews noting tonal inconsistency and sentimentality in the film’s approach.
• Industry coverage cites fresh Best Actor buzz for Fraser and frames the film as part of an awards-season rollout following its festival debut.
• Searchlight has set a U.S. theatrical release for Nov. 21, with a largely Japanese ensemble and an original score by Jónsi and Alex Somers.