For the optimal viewing experience, “Companion” needs to be seen with no idea what’s about to happen. So this review will conceal the plot as much as possible.
The film starts with a typical meet-cute in a grocery store. Pretty girl-next-door, Iris is charmed by Josh’s clumsy charm as he knocks over an orange display after locking eyes with her.
But the initial love-at-first-sight crush snowballs into a mess of regrets and chaotic emotions with nowhere to go but an inward collapse.
The impending doom of their “perfect” relationship satisfyingly plays out on screen. Iris, played by Sophie Thatcher, transforms as she learns secrets that change the trajectory of her life forever. There’s no turning back once the first thread unravels in the film, only watching as it comes undone completely.
Iris is brimming with emotions she can’t name, which shows in the way she walks, talks and composes herself.
Thatcher portrays this intensity seamlessly. The way she acts with her eyes is particularly compelling. Her strong, puzzled, or frightened looks perfectly portray the feelings Iris is going through in each scene.
Thatcher’s sharp performance makes up for the film’s muddled message. It’s something to watch for the thrill rather than anything else.
Her co-star, Jack Quaid, also delivers a strong performance as the love interest with an underlying narcissism problem. His ability to play a challenging character so effortlessly makes him an easy antagonist to root against.
Sometimes, a film with a simple thrill factor and a fun outlandish concept is exactly what’s needed. For me, there’s no need to dock points or discourage people from watching it even if it has a bit of an empty core. It’s still exciting and finds its merits in the performances, visuals and fast pace.
For example, the tense opening act hooks the viewer in immediately. The film starts with Iris’s sharp inner monologue sharing her insecurities about her purpose with the audience. She then reveals the two times she ever truly felt happy. The first one is the day she met Josh, and you’ll have to watch the movie to find out the second one.
In the 97-minute runtime, the audience witnesses the explosion of a ticking time bomb. It’s more like 10 or so mini bombs back-to-back.
It’s easy to root for Iris as she survives each one. Her character is sympathetic because of her unfair circumstances and nothing-left-to-lose mentality alongside her relatability factor coming from her wish to belong and discover her greater purpose.
The loose commentary on topics including misogyny, loneliness and commodified relationships aside, it’s still a good time. It just took on too many themes to explore at once instead of fleshing out just one. “Companion” makes up for it with its shiny exterior. It’s pretty to look at even though what’s inside is nothing special.
Another successful part of the film is the director’s genre-blending vision. The film goes from rom-com to horror to scifi in an easy balance that isn’t chaotic. It’s exciting to see the experimentation with tropes overlapping in each genre and how it all meshes.
My favorite part about “Companion” is its addition to the running “good for her” cinematic universe list with the trope of an unapologetic female character making it to the end, a bit bloody, and obtaining the life taken from her
A quick and easily digestible watch with a satisfying pay-off, made all that much better if you don’t know anything about it going in, is exactly what’s needed to turn your brain off for a second and simply have fun
