Director: HIKARI
２０２５ | USA
The story is set in Japan, and although almost all the characters other than the protagonist are Japanese, the film has a kind of stateless atmosphere and sensibility. I later learned that it was an American production directed by a Japanese-born female director who has long been active in the United States.
Scenes ranging from the city to the countryside fill the screen: the streets of Tokyo, the crowds, a Japanese house surrounded by deep greenery, the everyday lives of Japanese people, and the seas of Amakusa and Nagasaki.
Amid these landscapes, through the inner conflict of the protagonist (an American actor living in Japan), the film shows that human relationships cannot simply be reduced to a balance of debts and favors.
A friend from UK recommended it to me, saying, “I couldn’t understand the Japanese parts, but it was still a wonderful film.” It truly was an excellent movie.
Official Site：https://www.searchlightpictures.jp/movies/rentalfamily
(Viewed: March 20, 2026, at TOHO Cinemas Roppongi)
