20 Underrated Recent Movies You Might Have Missed
14. Rental Family
When a film falls short of its early awards buzz, there's typically a perception that it must be a terrible slice of Failed Oscar Bait, and that was a regrettable fate afforded to the new Brendan Fraser-starring drama Rental Family.
The film, about an American actor (Fraser) living in Japan who starts working as a stand-in family member or friend for strangers, received rave reviews following its TIFF premiere last year.
The early buzz led many to believe that Rental Family would be a major awards player, but ultimately it failed to secure even a single Oscar nomination and, despite solid reviews from critics and audiences alike, also underperformed at the box office.
But taken on its own terms, Rental Family is a sentimental yet affecting drama about loneliness, culture clash, and family, with Fraser delivering one of his finest performances to date.
It may not have had the awards run many were expecting, but that in no way undermines its artistic successes.