‘Companion’ REVIEW: Malformed connections
‘Companion’ REVIEW: Malformed connections
If you’re coming into this review with zero knowledge of what Companion’s full-formed, post-first act premise is as shown in its second trailer, I suggest clicking off this review with the take that this is an entertaining mid-budget genre pic and just check the whole thing out (or at least stick to what the teaser trailer gives).
How a specific turn is timed and calculated is built off of an effective slow drip of mystery and uncertainty with layers of recontextualization, but it’s clear that the film doesn’t exactly rely on the impact of that “twist” and builds itself through what it unveils. Still, bypassing any prior expectation does give said turn an extra kick that it would be best to see what it really has in store blind. Otherwise, if you’re willing to sate your curiosity on the specifics on this film’s positives, then this review will keep you company.
Sophie Thatcher as Iris | Still from IMDb
Love can definitely help people make sense of their lives, the attachment to another person being a definite source of happiness. This is what lovelorn young woman Iris (Sophie Thatcher, Heretic) internalizes as she accompanies her boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid, Scream) to an affluent lakeside property with his friends. Although Iris is plenty nervous about how to act naturally with people, Josh’s encouraging words to act natural and smile do help calm her nerves. After all, he’s her beloved, how could he ever do or say something that might put her in danger?
After an unexpected incident occurs (and that's to put it lightly) at the estate, it's not just social etiquette that Iris has to worry about, but rather the whole conception of her being. Unbeknownst to her for a period of time, Iris turns out to be a (mostly) human-like android, more specifically a companion robot, made for the purpose of human relationship of any kind. This revelation sets off a chain of events that leads to a fight for survival as Iris attempts to make sense of the authenticity of her emotions underneath the coding, while unspooling what lies beneath the man she loved.
One of Companion's most consistent strengths is at how effortlessly it paces its tightrope crossing of tones and genres, both in ways nonchalant and quite venomous to the point that it just comes off as very natural. Within the lens of a thriller, once it fully unveils the full breadth of its premise, the film breezes along its tight 90 minute runtime with plot reveals, double crosses, and sudden bursts of violence that increasingly ramps up the stakes and peels back the layers of its central duo. Both Iris and Josh undergo fascinating arcs in the midst of the chaos, fully embodying their deep-seeded wants and needs in terms of what they desire from romance and interpersonal connection as the film progresses and more blood gets spilled.
Jack Quaid (left) and Megan Suri (right) as Josh and Kat | Still from IMDb
While there are some moments it foregoes the space for visceral emotion for a swerve or a joke, and the last act does end things a bit unwieldy in an effort to tidy a plot with the amount of visceral ramifications it contains, it nevertheless remains satisfying to the end. The advertising for Companion heavily promoted the involvement of the same team behind equally (if not more so) twisty horror comedy Barbarian, with its director Zach Cregger having a producer credit. Not to compare the subjective quality of both films (though Barbarian is a great feature in its own right), but Companion definitely takes up aspects from the aforementioned film in its underlying ethos of plot construction.
This includes its heavily comedic bent. While the story is packed with the grimness of the worst of toxic masculinity and entitlement, the film doesn't really take itself too seriously and primarily focuses on taking the piss out of the cruelties it displays. One of the main sources of Companion's dark comedy is a hilariously sharp satirical lashing on "nice guys" and their desperation to gain appreciation and control in their lives, and the lengths they would take to get it. Although it isn't the freshest punching bag or approach, the zest in which it is doled out does provide a chunk of laughs anyway. Even beyond that central punchline, there are plenty of pockets where the film finds humor, from the dry, yet heightened dialogue, physical slapstick, and the inherent awareness of its urban sci-fi world's absurdity.
All of its immediate elements are wrapped around a fascinating concept implemented in a world all too familiar to real life; the only difference is the existence of robots that look way too much like people. On a thematic front, the conceit of overtly humanoid companion robots touches upon the dehumanization of interpersonal connection through technology and how some of the biggest assholes in the world are given free reign to access its full potential and exacerbate their worst tendencies, an unfortunately relevant in this current age. The film also looks at this dilemma within the lens of gender, with signifiers about the rampant oppressive dynamics in relationships, particularly around communication and personal autonomy.
Jack Quaid (left) and Sophie Thatcher (right) as Josh and Iris | Still from IMDb
It's a sharply-worn method of social commentary, and the groundedness of the use of its science fiction elements allow the plot to avoid the pitfalls of exposition and continue with its pulpy thrills. The moments in which it tries to make an explicit point beyond the thriller and comedy elements though, are the weaker parts of the film. It is less effective when it dips into winking, linear platitudes — which does not help some of the broader aspects of its writing at all — as compared to the focus on Iris’ processing of her own feelings about her being and understanding of love.
The down-to-earth nature of the world-building might be owed to its relatively mid-level budget, in which debuting feature director Drew Hancock manages to make good use of. The small amount of locations do provide the story a sense of modest scale, and Hancock’s controlled hand allows the script to fly freely in its switching moods, even if there could be some space for panache that could’ve been used.
The livewire energy however, goes to the performances, who equally sell every wisecrack and baffled reaction with zest and give intensity to the film’s darker turns. Sophie Thatcher imbues Iris with humanity all throughout, and both her befuddlement and desperation at her situation is the heart of Companion’s narrative. Jack Quaid clearly is having a lot of fun playing Josh through a ‘type of guy’ that takes equal turns funny and frightening, with the rest of the supporting cast effectively providing the film’s comedic backbone and sentimental fringes.
While not without its weaknesses, Companion’s sturdy structuring, biting humor, and tight pace of escalating tension allows it to bolster its thematic sentiments through an intriguing premise. Equally as important; it’s acidic fun with a twisted beating heart. If these descriptions grabbed your attention, then check this film out if it is meant for you.
Companion is now showing in Philippine cinemas through Warner Bros. Pictures, exclusively in SM Cinemas nationwide.
