Japan is known for its cultural quirks; from its plentiful vending machines where you can purchase anything from hot food to underwear, to high-tech toilets.

This second feature from Japanese director Hikari, focuses on a peculiar business where clients can rent a person to fulfil a role in their lives. It sounds bizarre, but yes, they do exist in Japan.

Ever since appearing in a popular TV commercial, American Phillip Vanderploeg (Brendan Fraser) has lived in Japan for the last seven years, but his acting work is increasingly drying up.

He is then approached by a unique agency called Rental Family, who could make use of his acting skills, as they have roles for a token “white guy”. At first Phillip is reticent to accept, but after his first job, he believes that he does have something to offer the agency after all.

But as he soon discovers, his work comes with a huge amount of responsibility, when his roles appear to cross lines of morality.

This is Fraser’s first starring role since winning his Oscar for 2022’s The Whale, and continuing the aquatic theme, he makes the perfect fish out of water as a struggling actor in Japan.

Hikari is keen to explore connections, focusing on Phillip as he immerses himself as, essentially, an actor for hire to any average Joe/Jou. In doing so, the film is quite touching, as Phillip is confronted with two ends of the age spectrum; 11-year-old girl Mia (Shannon Mahina Gorman) playing her father, and reaching out to retired actor Kikuo (Akira Emoto) as an interested journalist.

The script is delightful, even though it’s all a little too safe. There was an opportunity to push the theme, but Hikari seemingly channels the Japanese respectful gene throughout; as bumpy as the story gets, all the threads have civil resolution as a kind of learning experience for all concerned.

It’s a gentle stroll through the streets and lives of those who live in Tokyo, generating an undeniably charming warmth.

It’s certainly a personable role for Fraser, who will be shortly returning to his The Mummy franchise, 27 years on from the original, to play Rick O’Connell for the fourth instalment.

A quaint and idiosyncratic trip to the land of the rising sun, offering the kind of emotions you just couldn’t get out of a vending machine.