BrendanFraser – Credits Rolling

Directed by Hikari, Rental Family follows the story of Phillip Vanderploeg (Brendan Fraser), a struggling actor who has been living in Japan for the past seven years. When he is presented with an opportunity to work for a rental family agency where he would play whatever role necessary for strangers, he is unsure but reluctantly goes for it. But when one of his roles involves acting as a father to a little girl named Mia (Shannon Mahina Gorman), the lines between performance and reality start to blur.

I had no idea what to expect going into this film. While it looked cute from the trailer, but that was about it. The concept was also unlike anything I had ever heard of before. I’m so glad I went with my gut on this one because I got so much more than I ever could have expected.

As predicted, Fraser is excellent as the lead. He brings a vulnerability and charm that was lovely to watch. He’s hesitant about taking on this opportunity, but the connections he makes not only with those that he is hired to work for, but those of his colleagues at the agency itself ultimately win out in the end. I have loved everything this man has been doing since he came back onto our screens with The Whale and I can’t wait to see what he tackles next.

The film would be incomplete without the strong supporting cast. Takehiro Hira stars as Shinji Tada, the creator of the rental agency. Mari Yamamoto portrays Aiko Nakajima and Kimura Bun is Kota Nakano, two of the other actors. The bond that forms between these three and Phillip is the true definition of found family. Gorman was obviously a scene stealer for me – I loved her scenes with Fraser – and I also enjoyed the storyline with Akira Emoto as Kikuo Hasegawa, a retired actor who believes Phillip is writing an article about him, but who really just needs a companion.

What I didn’t know going into this was that these rental family agencies really do exist. I thought that this was so interesting to learn and I’m sure that the film only scratched the surface. The beautiful scenery and landscapes were a dream; if I didn’t want to visit Japan before, I certainly do now. It really just served as the perfect backdrop to this story.

Rental Family is about human connections and how we need that now more than ever. The various people that the audience meets throughout are all special in their own way. They’ll have you laughing, crying and feeling every emotion in between. It stayed true to itself and will certainly leave a lasting impression.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Based on the play of the same name by Samuel D. Hunter and directed by Darren Aronfsky comes the theatrical adaption of The Whale. Starring Brendan Fraser as Charlie, the story follows a reclusive and morbidly obese English teacher who is coming to the end of his life. His last wish is to reconnect with his estranged daughter for one last chance of redemption.

As the last award nominated film that I was interested in, I couldn’t believe my luck when I had the chance to see it ahead of its initial release. It may seem simple; at times I was reminded of the fact that it was originally a play due to its solo location and small cast of characters, but I appreciated the fact that it was more intimate that way and of course, it helped with the difficult subject matter.

The story was pretty awful. I found it hard to watch at times, but I also couldn’t help but resonate with Charlie and his loneliness. Although that may have been self inflicted, it didn’t make it any less upsetting. I felt his embarrassment and I wish I could have mended his broken heart. At the end of the day, though, it seemed as if his mind was made up.

If Brendan Fraser does not win Oscar for this role, then I don’t know anymore. He put everything he could into Charlie and it moved me to tears. I just sat there at the end of the film in utter disbelief at what I had watched. There were also some brilliant performances by the supporting cast. Hong Chau as Charlie’s friend Liz, Ty Simpkins as missionary Thomas, Samantha Morton as Charlie’s ex Mary and Sadie Sink as Charlie’s daughter Ellie gave it their all.

Overall, The Whale is a film that everybody should watch. It will make you uncomfortable, it will make you cry and it will make you think. While it may not be super strong in its plot, it more than makes up for it in its performances.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️