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Rental Family (2023) movie poster

Timeline

Rental Family (2023) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
2023 · 107 mins · Japanese
Directed by
Takehito Sakamoto
Starring
Denden, Shun Shioya, Nanami Kawakami, Yua Shiraishi, Fumina Suzuki

Kenta Mikami runs a distinctive service, providing “rental” family members and friends to people needing a temporary connection. He fills various roles, from offering heartfelt congratulations at weddings to delivering apologies for those who have wronged others. Mikami’s business caters to a wide range of situations, stepping in as a father, son, or even a romantic partner, depending on his clients' requests and the circumstances they face.

Drama Family Romance Cast, crew & box office
On this page (4)
  1. 1 Events in order (12)
  2. 2 Timeline questions answered
  3. 3 Movie threads
  4. 4 Every angle

12 events in order · contains spoilers

Rental Family Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Rental Family (2023) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Arrival in Japan and entry into Rental Family

    Phillip Vandarploeug arrives in Japan in search of steady acting work after his toothpaste commercial. He takes a precarious 'experience' job through Rental Family, a company that helps lonely people create connections. He reluctantly becomes the 'token white guy' for money, despite the odd premise.

    When
    early in the film
    Where
    Tokyo, Japan

  2. First assignment: pretend fiancée to Yoshie

    Phillip's first assignment is to pose as Yoshie's fiancé. Yoshie is married and a lesbian, planning a traditional wedding to please her parents before leaving for Canada. Phillip commits to the role and finds the experience oddly rewarding despite the awkward setup.

    When
    early in the film
    Where
    Yoshie's home

  3. Second job: pretend father to Mia

    Hitomi enlists Phillip to pose as Mia's estranged American father to help enroll her at a private school. Mia resents the arrangement, seeing him as an intruder. Phillip persists and gradually earns her trust as they spend time together.

    When
    mid-film
    Where
    Mia's home

  4. Third job: journalist with Kikuo Hasegawa

    Phillip interviews retired actor Kikuo Hasegawa, posing as a journalist. He bonds with Kikuo, who is under the watch of his daughter Masami, and learns that Kikuo suffers from dementia. The assignment tests Phillip's empathy and boundaries.

    When
    mid-film
    Where
    Kikuo's home

  5. Phillip declines the coveted role for Mia

    Phillip lands a highly coveted acting role but refuses it to avoid disrupting Mia's life. Hitomi objects, warning that he's getting too close to her daughter. The choice deepens Phillip's conflict between career ambitions and the connections he's made.

    When
    mid-to-late

  6. Aiko's abuses and Shinji's hypocrisy

    Phillip discovers some of Aiko's 'apology' jobs involve comforting wives of unfaithful husbands, sometimes leading to physical abuse. He begins to sense Shinji's hypocrisy, realizing Rental Family can be used to hollowly fill empty lives. Aiko and Kota start standing up to Shinji.

    When
    mid-to-late
    Where
    Tokyo, Japan

  7. Phillip helps Kikuo visit his childhood home

    Moved by Kikuo's wish to reconnect with his roots, Phillip agrees to help him visit his childhood home in the countryside, now overtaken by nature. The journey rekindles memories for Kikuo and gives Phillip a renewed sense of purpose. Along the way Kikuo discovers an old buried box of photos and mementos.

    When
    late in the film
    Where
    Countryside, Japan

  8. Kikuo collapses; Phillip is arrested

    After the trip, Kikuo collapses from exhaustion and Phillip rushes him to the hospital. Shinji confronts Phillip, accusing him of kidnapping, and Phillip is detained as a result. The confrontation exposes the thin line between care and coercion within Rental Family.

    When
    late in the film
    Where
    Hospital and police

  9. Mia learns Phillip's true identity

    Mia's friend uncovers Phillip's real background from a Japanese TV movie, revealing that he is not just a hired helper. Mia is initially angry with her mother but ultimately forgives both of them, recognizing the depth of their relationship. The revelation sharpens the film's exploration of truth and connection.

    When
    after the arrest
    Where
    Mia's circle, Japan

  10. Aiko and Kota's plan to reveal truth; Shinji reforms

    Aiko and Kota pose as lawyers to coax Kikuo into admitting what happened. Shinji arrives posing as a police detective, signaling a turning point. Phillip is released, and Shinji begins to reevaluate Rental Family's practices.

    When
    climax
    Where
    Tokyo, Japan

  11. Kikuo's death and funeral

    Kikuo dies in his sleep, leaving Phillip and his allies to reflect on their actions. The funeral is attended by Aiko, Shinji, Kota, and Phillip, underscoring the personal costs of their involvement. The event emphasizes the film's critique of exploitation under the guise of connection.

    When
    finale
    Where
    Funeral site

  12. Epilogue: Mia starts school; Rental Family reshapes its mission

    Phillip reunites with Mia, who has been accepted into a new school, and their friendship continues. Rental Family discontinues its 'apology' services that allowed abuse, and Phillip continues working there in a more ethical direction. He ends with a quiet moment of prayer at a shrine, honoring Kikuo's memory.

    When
    ending
    Where
    Japan; shrine

Last updated: November 29, 2025 at 00:47

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Timeline questions answered

Rental Family Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Rental Family (2023): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Yoshie need a fake fiancé in the movie?

Yoshie is a lesbian who is already married to another woman. She wants to stage a traditional wedding for her parents before she and her wife relocate to Canada. Since her parents don't know another woman, she hires about her marriage to Phillip through Rental Family to pose as her fiancé so she can give them the wedding they expect.

  • yoshie
  • fake fiancé
  • lesbian
  • wedding
  • parents
  • canada
Q2

Why does Hitomi hire Phillip to pretend to be Mia's father?

Hitomi enrolls her daughter Mia in a prestigious private school that requires information about the child's family background. Since Mia is a Hāfu child with an absent American father, Hitomi hires Phillip to pose as her estranged father so the school application won't be rejected due to missing information.

  • hitomi
  • mia
  • private school
  • father
  • hafu
  • enrollment
Q3

Why does Phillip turn down the major acting role?

Phillip lands a prestigious acting job that could finally give him steady work in Japan. However, he declines it because accepting would require him to leave Japan for filming, which would disrupt the connection he's built with Mia and the other clients. He chooses these meaningful human relationships over his career advancement.

  • acting role
  • career
  • mia
  • declined
  • job
Q4

Why is Phillip arrested at the end of the film?

Phillip is arrested after he helps Kikuo visit his childhood home in the countryside. When Kikuo collapses from exhaustion and is taken to the hospital, Shinji confronts Phillip and accuses him of kidnapping the elderly man. The police detain Phillip as a result of this confrontation, despite Phillip's argument that he was helping Kikuo fulfill a meaningful wish.

  • phillip arrested
  • kikuo
  • kidnapping
  • shinji
  • hospital
Q5

How does Mia find out that Phillip isn't a real family member?

Mia discovers Phillip's true identity when one of her friends watches a Japanese TV movie and recognizes him from his past work as an actor. The revelation angers her initially, both at Phillip and at her mother Hitomi for arranging the deception. However, she eventually forgives them, understanding that the choices were made out of love for her.

  • mia discovers
  • truth
  • identity
  • friend
  • actor
  • reveal
Q6

Why does Shinji confront Phillip about taking Kikuo to his childhood home?

Shinji accuses Phillip of kidnapping when he arranges for Kikuo to visit his childhood home without proper authorization from the agency. However, Phillip points out the hypocrisy in Shinji's reaction, noting that Rental Family has long been used to fill hollow gaps in people's lives. The confrontation reveals that Shinji himself maintains a fake family to cope with his own loneliness.

  • shinji
  • confrontation
  • kikuo
  • childhood home
  • hypocrisy
Q7

What happens to Kikuo after visiting his childhood home?

After the trip to his childhood home, Kikuo collapses from exhaustion and is rushed to the hospital. Later in the film, he dies peacefully in his sleep. His death brings Phillip and the Rental Family team together to attend his funeral, marking an emotional turning point for everyone involved.

  • kikuo dies
  • death
  • funeral
  • hospital
  • collapse
Q8

Why does Rental Family stop offering apology services?

The apology service involved sending rented family members to deliver apologies on behalf of clients, sometimes to wives of unfaithful husbands. This led to situations where Aiko, one of the workers, was physically abused during these assignments. After Phillip exposes these issues and the team reflects on the ethical problems, Shinji decides to discontinue this problematic service.

  • apology service
  • abuse
  • stopped
  • ended
  • aiko
Q9

Why is Mia initially hostile toward Phillip?

Mia resents Phillip when he first arrives posing as her estranged American father because she sees him as an unwanted intruder in her life. She's aware that her mother arranged this deception and feels uncomfortable with the fake family arrangement, especially since she already lacks a real father figure in her life.

  • mia
  • hostile
  • father
  • resentment
  • intrudes
Q10

Why does Masami prevent Kikuo from seeing visitors?

Masami, Kikuo's daughter, is extremely protective of her father because he suffers from dementia. She worries about his safety and wellbeing, which is why she monitors who he interacts with. When Phillip poses as a journalist to interview Kikuo, Masami's watchful presence creates tension, though Phillip's genuine empathy eventually earns her trust.

  • masami
  • kikuo
  • dementia
  • daughter
  • protective
  • visit
Q11

Why does Phillip form such a strong bond with Kikuo?

Phillip develops a deep connection with Kikuo because he sees beyond the professional assignment. When Kikuo wishes to visit his childhood home before his memory completely fades due to dementia, Phillip is moved to help him. The journey becomes meaningful for both men, Phillip finds purpose in genuine connection, while Kikuo experiences one last moment of clarity and joy.

  • bond
  • kikuo
  • connection
  • dementia
  • childhood home
  • memories
Q12

Why do people hire Rental Family services in the film?

People hire Rental Family for various reasons: Yoshie needs to satisfy her parents' expectations before coming out, Hitomi needs to provide family information for Mia's school application, and Kikuo needs companionship and someone to listen to his stories. The service fills genuine emotional gaps for people who are lonely, grieving, or facing difficult life situations where real family support is absent.

  • rental family
  • loneliness
  • service
  • clients
  • hired
  • connection

Movie threads

More Movies Like Rental Family, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Rental Family tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Movies about emotional professionals like in Rental Family

Stories about people who build or repair emotional bonds for a living. If you liked the concept of a 'rental family' in Rental Family, explore more movies about characters whose jobs involve fixing, creating, or performing human connections. These films often blend drama with heartfelt moments, exploring the lines between professional service and authentic caring.

  • heartfelt
  • reflective
  • melancholic
  • hopeful
  • quiet
  • contemplative
  • Tone: bittersweet, heartfelt
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives in this thread typically follow a professional who enters the lives of others to provide an emotional service. Their journey involves navigating client relationships, confronting the ethical dilemmas of their work, and often finding their own lives changed or healed in the process through a series of interconnected stories or a central case.

Why they belong together: These movies are grouped together because they share a unique premise where the protagonist's job is the catalyst for exploring profound themes of loneliness, connection, and identity. They possess a similar tone of quiet observation and emotional depth, focusing on character growth over plot-driven action.

Playing by Heart movie poster

Playing by Heart

1999
Young at Heart movie poster

Young at Heart

1953
Up Close & Personal movie poster

Up Close & Personal

1996
Crying Ladies movie poster

Crying Ladies

2004
Feast of Love movie poster

Feast of Love

2007
Delicacy movie poster

Delicacy

2012
Dinner with Friends movie poster

Dinner with Friends

2001
Friends with Money movie poster

Friends with Money

2006

Movies about manufactured families and connections like Rental Family

Where temporary connections spark lasting emotional change. Find more films like Rental Family that explore the poignant theme of manufactured relationships. These movies often start with a business arrangement or a temporary solution to loneliness, leading to bittersweet stories about found family, identity, and the surprising authenticity of borrowed bonds.

  • lonely
  • melancholic
  • heartfelt
  • hopeful
  • reflective
  • found family
  • Tone: bittersweet, melancholic, hopeful
  • Pacing: steady, contemplative
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern involves a character or group entering a contrived relationship for practical or emotional reasons. As the story unfolds, the lines between performance and reality blur, forcing characters to confront their own loneliness and the genuine feelings that develop, leading to an ending that is often hopeful yet tinged with the sadness of impermanence.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a core exploration of loneliness and the human need for belonging. They are united by a bittersweet mood, a steady, reflective pacing, and a focus on the emotional complexity of relationships that are built rather than born, creating a uniquely poignant and thoughtful viewing experience.

Something Borrowed movie poster

Something Borrowed

2011
Disappearing Acts movie poster

Disappearing Acts

2000
Rental Family movie poster

Rental Family

2025
L for Love, L for Lies movie poster

L for Love, L for Lies

2008
The Wedding Banquet movie poster

The Wedding Banquet

1993
When Love Digs a Hole movie poster

When Love Digs a Hole

2018
One True Love movie poster

One True Love

2000
Brief Encounter In Shinjuku movie poster

Brief Encounter In Shinjuku

1990

Every angle

Rental Family (2023) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about Rental Family in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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