The characters were actually very likeable and real. I liked this realistic approach: no one is just black or white. Despite this, I would’ve loved to be able to get to know the characters more. Sometimes I felt like, especially with the male lead, that we didn’t know him that well.
The acting was so so good though! I loved all the characters because the actors portrayed them so well. Tokunaga Eri really makes Nasa a great female lead.
The plot itself is actually kinda slow, it’s more of a light watch. The second part of the movie was definitely more fast paced and the ending honestly left me confused. It had a semi-open ending so I think it’s up to the viewers to interpret it the way they want it to.
Rent a friend is supposed to be the story that questions whether a man and a woman can really be just friends? Some people wouldn’t actually really bother to ask this question, because “yes” seems so obvious. However I think this is a really thoughtful idea especially for the Asian public. I was surprised to know that in Japan or east asian countries people generally think that the opposite gender won’t meet with the idea of just friendship.
It’s ironic how the movie is taking up this theme but the leads still have romance between them. Actually more than this, it’s also about seeing one’s real self.. “I see the real you” is what Nasa is conveying in the story; she sees Sota as a person not just a rental friend or a experiment like her boss does.
Finally what I absolutely loved about the movie was the atmosphere. The cinematography had old-school and vintage vibes that bring out the rawness of the movie and put the focus on the characters emotions.
Overall, Rent A Friend’s strong point isn’t the extraordinaty storyline but its realness, simplicity, the meaning that it carries and the unique feeling that it has that makes us love jmovies.
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Good Enough
" Rent a Friend " was an okay movie.It probably needed more time to progress and showcase all those interesting issues that it raised. And truly, the movie gave a brief introduction to the discussion of what is friendship, what is love, and what is the nature of human relationships. However, part of that quick burst of philosophical questioning towards the end of the film, the movie only scratched the surface of the those themes. It rather focused on the romantic story, which, however, was left with a baffling ending. At least, if you are going to go with the love story, give a nice conclusion to it.
Nevertheless, the idea was interesting and the performances quite strong.
So, overall, five out of ten.
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The two leads don't have outstanding chemistry. They act more like strangers who have entered a contract friendship which is why this film is so believable. While Nasa is working through her editorial on whether rented friends can actually just be friends, we see the progression of their relationship.
While all this is happening, there is also a really interesting side story about Nasa's roommate who is a musician. Along with Sota, she makes music that is infuriatingly catchy. So catchy that I found myself humming the melody while washing up hours after watching the film.
It's an easy watch that is definitely worth watching, especially if you need something you can switch your mind off to.
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