Rent-a-Pal

Play trailer

1:47

Rent-a-Pal

2020

1h 48m

Mystery & Thriller

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

68%

Tomatometer

53 Reviews

63%

Popcornmeter

100+ Ratings

A strange VHS tape allows a lonely bachelor named David to find companionship with Andy -- its charming and charismatic host. However, Andy's friendship comes at a cost, and David desperately struggles to afford the price of admission.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Rent-A-Pal suffers from untapped thematic potential, but Wil Wheaton's unsettling performance makes this unique horror story worth watching.

Read Critics Reviews

Kimber Myers

Crooked Marquee

While [the] methods for trying to find companionship are all decades-old ... the emotions at the core of Rent-A-Pal don't feel that distant from 2020 and its digital solutions for human connection.

Rated: B

Nov 16, 2020

Full Review

Richard Whittaker

Austin Chronicle

Stevenson's script... is smart in the dialog but wavers in its structure, and could have benefited from a leaner edit before shooting.

Rated: 2.5/5

Oct 23, 2020

Full Review

Nick Allen

RogerEbert.com

Wil Wheaton plays one of the scariest villains of the year in Jon Stevenson's brilliant Rent-A-Pal.

Rated: 3.5/4

Sep 11, 2020

Full Review

Gavin Spoors

FILMHOUNDS Magazine

Rent-a-Pal is another low-budget feature that has a great concept and interesting thematic ideas but is mired down by writing and tonal issues.

Rated: 3/5

Aug 4, 2025

Full Review

Paul Lê

Nightmare on Film Street

Ardent, frank, and downright disturbing.

Rated: 9/10

Jul 20, 2023

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Despite its wacky premise, “Rent-A-Pal” works because it doesn’t see its subject matter as a joke.

Rated: 3.5/5

Aug 24, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

Jeff S

I enjoy movies that take an unexpected turn or two. Up until 10 minutes before the end, I thought the "pal" would somehow end up being the menace. Great acting by the two main protagonists, the lonely guy and his "pal", and perfectly chosen actors for the mother and new girlfriend. I could actually see the new relationship as the way to a brighter future for all three non-pal characters. The movie built your sympathy for the lonely character up until near the end, when the reality was revealed by things going wonderfully sideways to spiral completely out of control. Only one item really went beyond the point of my ability to suspend disbelief... the mother's ability to get herself down to the basement at several key points in the movie or to get far from the house in the escape scene. I don't think so...

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/27/25

Full Review

Aluna U

Rent A Pal is a psychological thriller that explores the dark effects of loneliness through David’s unsettling bond with a videotaped “friend.” The film cleverly blurs the line between reality and delusion, keeping viewers intrigued and uneasy as David’s mental state deteriorates. Strong performances and a chilling, well-executed ending make this a memorable and haunting watch. Read the full review here: (Indonesian version : alunauwie.com)

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

09/22/25

Full Review

Melissa L

Weird, unique, crazy, creepy, and unsettling. If you want to watch a different kind of '80s horror...this is it.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/14/24

Full Review

Chris G

A unique, well acted musing on obsession only fails because it felt like it could have done more with its unsettling premise.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/25/24

Full Review

Ricardo d

Um bom roteiro, boa interpretação, só acho que peca um pouco na edição e definitivamente não deveria ser colocado como um filme de terror e sim um drama ou suspense.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

05/20/24

Full Review

Miche H

I recommend this movie to everyone I really liked it. I thought it was different which is rare nowadays.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/16/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Jon Stevenson

Director

Wil Wheaton

Andy

Brian Landis Folkins

David

Kathleen Brady

Lucille

Amy Rutledge

Lisa

Adrian Egolf

Diane

Ride

31%

38%

Ride

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Ride

I Hate the Man in My Basement

100%

60%

I Hate the Man in My Basement

Watchlist

Black Butterfly

40%

42%

Black Butterfly

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Black Butterfly

PVT Chat

68%

43%

PVT Chat

Watchlist

TRAILER

for PVT Chat

The Fanatic

15%

31%

The Fanatic

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Fanatic

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Rent-a-Pal: Trailer 1

1:47

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

A strange VHS tape allows a lonely bachelor named David to find companionship with Andy -- its charming and charismatic host. However, Andy's friendship comes at a cost, and David desperately struggles to afford the price of admission.

Director: Jon Stevenson
Producer: Annie Baker, Jimmy Weber, Jon Stevenson
Screenwriter: Jon Stevenson
Distributor: IFC Midnight
Production Co: Pretty People Pictures
Genre: Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 11, 2020, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 11, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $29.6K
Runtime: 1h 48m

Most Popular at Home Now