Companion
2025
Directors: Drew Hancock
Starring: Sophie Thatcher, Jack Quaid, Lukas Gage, Megan Suri, Harvey Guillén, and Rupert Friend
A weekend getaway with friends at a remote cabin turns into chaos after it’s revealed that one of the guests is not what they seem.
I thought I knew exactly how Companion would go. It was one of those times I was delighted to be proven wrong. Instead of a heavy-handed Stepford Wives clone, the film I saw was actually an intriguing blemd of romantic comedy with a dark twist that I enjoyed immensely. Directed by Drew Hancock, the film stars Sophie Thatcher (Iris/BeepBoop) and Jack Quaid (Josh). They seem like the perfect young couple having a nice weekend with friends by the lake until Iris makes a shocking discovery. She’s not human. She’s actually a robot companion that’s controlled by smartphone in a subtle hint to classic tales of domestic gaslighting.
At the lake house earned by Sergey (Rupert Friend), Iris isn’t the only secret to be revealed. Sergey is there with Kat (Megan Suri) who is a good friend of Josh. Eli (Harvey Guillén), and Patrick (Lukas Gage) are there as a couple. But nearly everyone here has an ulterior motive. The result is lots of humor and suspense elevating a really great story.
The acting in this film is top-notch. I’m a huge fan of Sophie Thatcher and she goes from being a docile companion to an empowered being in this film and it’s a joy to watch. It’s a thriller, yes, but with unexpected twists on topics that are so relevant right now. The film explores autonomy and control in relationships while presenting a pretty accurate reflection on humanity’s true relationship with power dynamics and technology. Hancock fearlessly takes on toxic masculinity and misogyny through social commentary and dark humor. Even better, you can’t easily guess where this film is going to ultimately take you and honestly, that was my favorite part.
The film is 137 minutes and rated R for strong violence, sexual content, and language throughout. The bloody gore isn’t for everyone but it’s not over-the-top either. Give it a try. You might be happy you did.