Brendan Fraser's New Film Is "Pointless," Says Critic

Brendan Fraser stars in a new drama that critics are calling silly and pointless. The film, "Rental Family," is directed by Japanese actor-turned-director Hikari. Fraser plays an American actor living in Tokyo. His character, Phillip, takes a strange job with a "rental family" service. These real-life Japanese firms provide actors for therapeutic role-play. Clients can rent actors to pretend to be family members, co-workers, or even deceased loved ones for emotional support. However, a review for a major publication strongly criticized the movie. It describes the film as glib, saccharine, and bafflingly complacent. The reviewer states the drama feels fatuous and implausible, making it valueless as both comedy and drama. In the story, Phillip's character moved to Japan for a toothpaste commercial and never left. He is lonely and lacks a real family, which leads him to the unusual rental job. The film explores this world of paid personal connections. The review concludes that despite its interesting premise, the execution is fundamentally flawed. It fails to find meaning or deliver effective entertainment.