Studio: New Line Cinema
Director: Drew Hancock
Writer: Drew Hancock
Producer: Raphael Margules, J.D. Lifshitz, Zach Cregger, Roy Lee
Stars: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillen, Jaboukie Young-White, Matthew J. McCarthy, Marc Menchaca, Rupert Friend
Review Score:
Summary:
A weekend getaway spirals into increasingly complicated chaos for three couples who discover hidden secrets about their partners.
Review:
People praising “Companion” following early screenings all said the same thing. They emphatically endorsed the movie, though they also cautioned new viewers who wanted the best experience to know as little as possible before going into the film.
I get what they’re saying and why. “Companion’s” twists and plentiful turns are what make it fun as a snappy thriller. I’m less sure of where the cutoff is for what can and can’t by talked about. While I will be as cagey as I can to avoid major giveaways, I don’t know a better way to break into the movie without including at least one small spoiler. So if you’re at all concerned with being totally blind about the movie, consider this a disclaimer that I can’t guarantee you’ll still be in the dark should you continue past this point.
For instance, when someone says not to give anything away, does that include disclosing the fact that Sophie Thatcher’s character, Iris, turns out to be a robot? Even if you avoided trailers, the poster depicts Thatcher looking like a department store mannequin with completely white eyes. At a minimum, this should stoke suspicion of a “Stepford Wives” situation, with the possibility of leaping all the way to concluding she’s some sort of AI automaton. To have no inkling whatsoever about “Companion” truly requires no knowledge at all, right down to not even looking at cover art, and I don’t see how that’s realistically possible.
If you somehow didn’t already guess Iris’s true nature, take comfort in knowing that’s only the first, and least, of “Companion’s” surprises. Her reveal conclusively comes less than a third of the way into the runtime. Why we find out she’s a robot is a much bigger spoiler, as that’s where the story steps on the gas to start accelerating toward top speed.
Up until this point, “Companion” concerns Josh (Jack Quaid) and his doting girlfriend Iris. Josh is about as average as average gets. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, there’s just nothing remarkable about his appearance, wardrobe, or mannerisms. He shops for fruit, clips his toenails, and is prone to minor mishaps the same as anyone else.
It's almost a wonder, hint hint, why Iris would be so infatuated with such a seemingly plain person. And yet, infatuated she is. She still beams at him like she did the day they first met, in a meet-cute moment in a supermarket. Teetering on the edge of appearing subservient, Iris hangs on every word and whim out of Josh. Not like she’d necessarily lay down her life for the man, but her head has fallen far enough over her heels that she’s content to carry her own bags, ensure he’s sexually satisfied, and obey every offhanded request, almost as though she was programmed to do so, cough cough.
Even with that slim synopsis so far, “Companion” clearly plants seeds that, in addition to being a thriller, the movie means to satirize relationship dynamics regarding ideal partners, entitlement, and especially control. Calling “Companion” a comedy gives a misleading impression of the film’s sense of humor. It definitely has one, and it’s definitely dark, but it uses laughs to amplify horrific implications rather than basing bits around slapstick skits. When “Companion” takes those detours, absurdity illustrates classic coupling situations ranging from “it’s not you, it’s me” excuses to promises to be better following the fallout of a domestic dispute, often with biting insight that’s cleverly integrated into the fiction while being widely relatable as subtext.
All aspects of drama, suspense, and parody get big boosts from the pairing of Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid, both of whom are easily the right actors for their roles. Quaid naturally carries the “aw, shucks” appeal of a good guy who’d be anyone’s buddy, yet he also comes with a streak of suspiciousness so any stroll onto his dark side never seems like a stretch. Quaid’s natural characteristics and seasoned screen presence bridge between affable wingman and devious manipulator as effortlessly as Thatcher flips the switch, literally, between vacant-eyed behavior and puppy-dog perkiness when it comes to obsessing over Josh.
To respect the “don’t give everything away” decree, and because your time would be better spent with the movie anyway, I probably shouldn’t speak much further. Structured somewhat similarly in both sequencing and tone to a “Tales from the Crypt” episode, “Companion” packs a tight snowball out of mildly quirky characters and rolls them into increasingly chaotic conditions until the movie unleashes an avalanche of complicated conundrums. Some may find certain stylings too annoying for their tastes, but whether it’s serving up well-timed quips, cynical domestic drama, or splattery shocks, “Companion” is fiendishly entertaining to watch unfold.
Review Score: 75
All aspects of drama, suspense, and parody get big boosts from the pairing of Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid, both of whom are easily the right actors for their roles.