American actor Philip Vanderploeg (Brendan Fraser) has been living in Japan for the past seven years when he signs up with an agency that provides people with a stand-in family member or friend.

This looks like a contrived idea for a feel-good movie until you read up on businesses that actually exist in Japan; their purpose is to help lonely people and that becomes an important, moving theme in the film. Fraser’s character is our guide into this world; he’s very good.

On the verge of becoming too mushy at times, but it has a ring of truth to it and always finds the right path back on track.

2025-U.S.-Japan. 110 min. Color. Directed by Hikari. Screenplay: Hikari, Stephen Blahut. Cast: Brendan Fraser (Phillip Vanderploeg), Takehiro Hira (Shinji), Mari Yamamoto (Aiko), Shannon Mahina Gorman, Akira Emoto, Shino Shinozaki. 

Trivia: Co-produced by Hikari; co-executive produced by Fraser.