Searchlight Pictures’ latest film, “Rental Family,” offers a fascinating glimpse into the unique world of rental family services in Japan.
The movie features a talented cast, including Brendan Fraser, Shannon Gorman, Mari Yamamoto, Takehiro Hira, and Akira Emoto, under the direction of Hikari.
To ensure the film’s authenticity, Hikari chose to shoot on location in Tokyo and its surrounding areas.
“Although many have visited Tokyo, I wanted to delve deeper,” Hikari shared with On The Red Carpet. “It was essential to truly portray our culture.”
On The Red Carpet traveled to Tokyo to interview Hikari and the cast and explore some of the film’s shooting locations. They visited the Sumida Riverwalk, which served as a setting for a scene with Fraser’s character, Phillip. They also strolled through the streets, including one that hosted a vibrant cat festival, attended by the characters Phillip and Mia, played by Gorman.
Hikari expressed, “I wanted viewers to feel the essence of the city as people live and breathe it. Tokyo is immense, and finding spots that resonate globally was key to the experience.”
One of the coolest experiences was teamLab Borderless, a digital art museum located in the Azabudai Hills section of Tokyo. It features multiple rooms of interactive artwork, including a sketch ocean room, where Fraser and Gorman filmed. It was an experience they raved about when we talked to them in Tokyo.
“It’s such a cool space. I live in Japan but I never went there…when I (was) reading the script, I was like ‘I get to go to teamLab,’” Gorman exclaimed. “It’s different atmosphere, each room. And sometimes it could be really beautiful. And then after like five minutes, it turns into like, sad, emotional and it’s just really cool.”
“It’s a perfect location that represents their relationship at that point in the story because Phillip’s trying so hard and he’s confused. And Mia is wondering, really, who is this guy?,” Fraser said. “It’s a perfect setting for an expression of the inner lives that those two characters are feeling in an atmosphere around them that’s blooming and beautiful and changing and unique.”
Even Yamamoto and Hira, who were not part of that shoot, were excited about teamLab.
“Images are like flying at you and you can stay there forever,” Hira said with a smile.
“It’s just super trippy but also, I think it’s one of those rare spaces where grown-ups get to be kids again,” Yamamoto added.
And we visited Asakusa/Sometaro, the restaurant where Phillip and Emoto’s character Kikou shared a pivotal scene.
“That place, I believe it’s over 100 years old, and it’s the oldest okonomiyaki restaurant in Tokyo. And I come from Osaka, and the food is actually okonomiyaki is originally from the West, so I wanted to mix up the culture from west, west meets east,” Hikari explained.
Fraser added, “I mean if Akira Emoto-san was a restaurant he would be that restaurant! They’re all characters in a play for a very specific reason.”
“Rental Family” gave Brendan Fraser an opportunity to live out a lifelong dream of making a film in a country he loves.
“It fulfills my aspiration for doing this in the first place,” he said. “People have always been welcoming, they’ve always been enthusiastic about filmmaking in a way that’s unique to Japan.”
The cast all bonded quickly.
“We just enjoyed, aside from work, you know, we experienced the whole journey together,” said Hira.
“We just felt like we experienced the beauty of Japan in all like the two, three months that we were here,” added Yamamoto.
“Rental Family” is now streaming on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Searchlight Pictures, Hulu and this ABC station.
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