Soulbright Movie Night | Rental Family
FEB6
Friday, February 6
18:00 - 20:00
📍
La Luz ↗
Ubud
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This Friday, we journey to Tokyo again. But in this bustling megacity, we visit a quieter side, where we meet Philip, a lonely American actor trying to build a life in Tokyo, who is struggling to find meaningful work and purpose. One day, he stumbles into a job with a “rental family” agency, where actors are hired to play roles like family members or friends for clients who need them for real-life social occasions, events, or emotional support.
As Philip steps into these surrogate roles, from a funeral attendee to a best friend, a fiancé, and even an estranged father, he begins forming real emotional connections that blur the line between performance and genuine human bonds. Through these borrowed lives, he begins to discover a sense of purpose and belonging, and something inside him quietly starts to shift.
👨👩👧❤️🩹🎭Rental Family (2025)🌆🇯🇵
❤️ WHAT I LOVE about this film is that, although it sounds bizarre and surreal, it is inspired by a real, existing phenomenon in Japan! It dives into Japanese social and cultural nuances, showing how expectations around social roles and how people are perceived can create situations where someone might feel the need to “fill in” missing human connections. It’s gently funny, tenderly heartwarming, and quietly thought-provoking, with cultural layers woven throughout.
The main actor, Brendan Fraser, describes Rental Family as “a love letter to Tokyo, and it’s addressed to loneliness everywhere. It’s written in cherry blossom pink ink with a fountain pen, and sealed with a kiss.”
✨Let’s watch this film together, then stay for the post-film discussion where we can brainstorm your ideal rental family scenario for your next trip to Japan!
As Philip steps into these surrogate roles, from a funeral attendee to a best friend, a fiancé, and even an estranged father, he begins forming real emotional connections that blur the line between performance and genuine human bonds. Through these borrowed lives, he begins to discover a sense of purpose and belonging, and something inside him quietly starts to shift.
👨👩👧❤️🩹🎭Rental Family (2025)🌆🇯🇵
❤️ WHAT I LOVE about this film is that, although it sounds bizarre and surreal, it is inspired by a real, existing phenomenon in Japan! It dives into Japanese social and cultural nuances, showing how expectations around social roles and how people are perceived can create situations where someone might feel the need to “fill in” missing human connections. It’s gently funny, tenderly heartwarming, and quietly thought-provoking, with cultural layers woven throughout.
The main actor, Brendan Fraser, describes Rental Family as “a love letter to Tokyo, and it’s addressed to loneliness everywhere. It’s written in cherry blossom pink ink with a fountain pen, and sealed with a kiss.”
✨Let’s watch this film together, then stay for the post-film discussion where we can brainstorm your ideal rental family scenario for your next trip to Japan!
