"Rental Family" Trailer: Brendan Fraser is a family member-for-hire in Japan

The film is directed by Mitsuyo Miyazaki, who directs under the mononym Hikari. Given how iconic Japanese director Hayao Miyazaki is, that probably helps avoid confusion (and comparison). Fraser plays an American actor in Japan who reluctantly takes a job at a rental family service. This is a real type of business in Japan wherein people can pay for actors to pretend to be family members. Conan O'Brien did a bit about it once.

"Rental Family" definitely has the feel of potential Oscar bait. It's the kind of dramedy that James L. Brooks used to make so well. The trailer does leave open the possibility that "Rental Family" could end up being excessively sentimental, but if it pops, there could be Oscar nominations afoot. The only concern on that front is that Fraser already won during the "nice things are nice" Oscars in 2023. That was for "The Whale," a movie that was polarizing at best. Did they give Fraser his "We love you!" Oscar too soon? Maybe, but he could still get an Oscar nomination at the very least.

"Rental Family" is set to premier at the Toronto Film Festival and then released in theaters on November 21.