Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- eerie
- melancholic
- paranoid
- late night horror viewing
- vhs nostalgia night
What critics said
Critics broadly viewed the film as an effective, unsettling psychological thriller elevated by strong performances and a chilling ending.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
David forms an intimate bond with Andy through the Rent-A-Pal VHS tape rather than through a reciprocal in-person relationship.
The VHS dating service and videotaped host make 1990 technology central to the film's unsettling atmosphere.
David's caregiving routine and unsuccessful search for a partner make loneliness the engine of his unraveling.
The bond between David and the videotaped Andy increasingly destabilizes the boundary between reality and delusion.
Films like Rent-A-Pal, and why
Possession
psychological horror built around loneliness, obsession, and an unsettling media object
The Machinist
retro psychological thriller where isolation and deteriorating mental stability blur reality and delusion
Videodrome
analog-media horror using videotapes, mediated intimacy, and creeping psychological dread
Saint Maud
claustrophobic character-driven horror about loneliness, delusion, and an increasingly disturbing relationship
Movie Details
- Director
- Jon Stevenson
- Release Date
- 2020-10-10
- Runtime
- 108 min
- Rating
- 6.5 / 10 (137)
Cast
- Brian Landis Folkins
- Wil Wheaton
- Kathleen Brady
- Amy Rutledge
- Adrian Egolf
- Olivia Hendrick
- Karin Carr
- Sara Woodyard
- Josh Staab
- Luke Sorge
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Rent-A-Pal about?
- A socially isolated caregiver finds dangerous companionship in a charismatic VHS host whose friendship demands an increasingly devastating price.
- What is Rent-A-Pal like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Rent-A-Pal as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Rent-A-Pal violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Rent-A-Pal as mild.
- What did critics think of Rent-A-Pal?
- Critics broadly viewed the film as an effective, unsettling psychological thriller elevated by strong performances and a chilling ending.
- Which films are like Rent-A-Pal?
- Films with a similar feel include Possession, The Machinist, Videodrome, and Saint Maud.
- How long is Rent-A-Pal?
- Rent-A-Pal runs 108 minutes.
- Where can I watch Rent-A-Pal?
- In United States, Rent-A-Pal streams on Philo, AMC Plus Apple TV channel, AMC+ Amazon Channel, AMC+ Roku Premium Channel, AMC+, Sundance Now.
