Film Review - Companion
Images courtesy of Warner Bros.
Dating and relationships, especially in the modern world, can be a real horror. That horror is taken to new heights in the wickedly entertaining and twisted Companion.
Before I begin this review, however, it is worth noting that the film's premise revolves around a significant plot twist that is unveiled during its first act. It has mostly been buried in clever and ambiguous marketing, but did reveal itself in the movie’s final trailer. While I was privy to this spoiler prior before watching, I can see how one might get more satisfaction going in blind (although it didn’t hinder my overall enjoyment). So, if you want to be surprised, stop reading here. Otherwise, proceed.
Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and Josh (Jack Quaid) have the perfect meet-cute moment in a grocery store before becoming a couple. Iris is deeply in love, the two take a weekend trip to a lakeside estate with Josh’s friends Kat (Megan Suri), Eli (Harvey Guillén) and his boyfriend Patrick (Lukas Cage). The estate is owned by Sergey (Rupert Friend), a shady Russian who is sleeping with Kat. Iris feels that Josh’s friends don’t want her there, and when Sergy forces himself onto her, she acts in self-defense and commits an irreversible act of violence. It is here that Iris finds out that she isn’t human - she's a robot, which everybody else already knew. More specifically, she’s a robot companion, an A.I. used as a romantic partner that Josh literally had delivered to his door. Iris is supposed to be completely docile and customisable, so it’s a mystery as to how she went against her programming.
Companion is a film that feels completely relevant to both today’s romantic and technological climate, interestingly mixing the two concepts together. With A.I. being the hot topic of the moment, the film explores questions as to how far its intelligence can go, and how much genuine emotion it is capable of actually feeling. While Iris’s human appearance and function is a far cry from the bots we see deliver food in cafes, it really does paint a picture of a not-so far fetched future. Will people be able to order a robot girlfriend or boyfriend to be their loving partner one day? It’s not as crazy as it sounds.
While the film has been marketed as a horror, it falls more into the thriller or sci-fi category, and has far more comedy than one might have imagined. The script is darkly funny, playing on the absurdity of its concept and conventions of modern dating. It offers a unique take on toxic relationships, as Josh essentially uses Iris as a sexbot and nothing more. He controls her with his phone, the way a possessive boyfriend might control their partner emotionally. When Iris begins to find her own agency and break free, it is highly satisfying. The film’s visual aesthetic, contrasting the pastel pinks of its titles and Iris’s outfits with splashes of deep red blood, is also thematically eye-catching.
It is also worth highlighting the compelling lead performance from Thatcher as Iris. She superbly captures both Iris’s humanity and artificiality, exuding her with depth and making her an A.I you actually want to root for.
Upon its release, Companion makes for the perfect anti-Valentine’s Day watch, and kicks off 2025's cinematic calendar with a bang.
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Companion is screening in cinemas from Thursday the 30th of January. For tickets and more info, click here.