Towards the end of last year, as I was scrolling TikTok, I came upon a trailer for an upcoming film directed by Drew Hancock called Companion. I had never heard of this film before, and just from the aesthetic of the trailer, I didn’t think I’d see it. Fast forward a few weeks, and I’ve watched trailer clips a few more times AND noticed that my local cinema was having an advanced screening. So I thought, what the hell, let’s step out of my film comfort zone and give Companion a shot. But did I enjoy it? Did I think it was a good way to spend a Monday night? It’s time to answer those questions.
THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS, SO PLEASE FORGIVE THE VAGUE LANGUAGE
Iris has been madly in love with Josh ever since they first met in the grocery store. Everything she does is to help him, which is all she ever wants to do. From the outside looking in, they’re the perfect couple. The two of them are heading to a cabin in the woods to meet with some of Josh’s friends for a little vacation, even though Iris is anxious about making things awkward with them. If only Iris were so lucky for that to be her only worry on this trip. Relationship drama, juicy secrets, and a sleazy Russian will make this trip one to remember, but will Iris and Josh’s relationship make it out unscathed?
For what it was, I really enjoyed this story. It didn’t do anything groundbreaking, but it took what had worked in similar films and put a fun twist on things. There are a handful of twists that caught me off guard, and after the film got going, I was constantly wondering what was gonna happen next. There were a few pacing issues, mostly feeling a bit rushed, especially towards the end. This film could’ve definitely used an extra 20 minutes to help expand upon some of its story beats and themes a bit more. But to find a silver lining, the fast pace meant they could fire off some pretty funny moments in quick succession. I was not expecting to laugh as much as I did, and it felt like I was watching a film made by YouTubers (which wasn’t a bad thing). Overall, I think the less you know about this plot going in, the better.
The film’s two leads were part of the reason I decided to go see it, and they didn’t disappoint. Sophie Thatcher is quickly rising up the ranks of my “actors who I’ll see any new film if they’re in it” list. She did a fantastic job as Iris, and I thoroughly enjoyed her performance throughout. There is one scene in particular that happens towards the end of the film that had very few spoken words from Thatcher, but the amount of emotion she was able to show with just her facial expressions was outstanding. Jack Quaid also did well as Josh, pulling off the “nice” guy persona expertly. I didn’t expect his character to go the way it did, but the film manages to get you fully on board with his arc in the film (and provides some fun commentary on “nice” guys).
The supporting cast, while small, was also a fun time. Kat, played by Megan Suri, bounced off Josh well, and the two characters obviously have known each other for a while. Or at least I assumed so because of their banter (which an extra scene or two could’ve fixed). Harvey Guillen, as Eli, was very funny. Even if he played into the sassy gay character stereotype a bit, it never went too far to the point of being offensive. It was helped by Patrick, played by Lukas Gage, Eli’s partner, who has a few secrets of his own that were probably one of the bigger reveals of the film (even if it was just played for laughs).
And then there’s Sergey, played by Rupert Friend, the total oddball character that he is. He sticks out from the rest of the cast like a sore thumb (the character is at least 30 years older than everyone else), but the film uses that to its benefit. It uses your assumptions about the character and leads to a pretty funny moment (the character is a dick though).
Companion looks pretty good for the type of film it is. The sets and environments all look nice, and there wasn’t a moment where I could pick out a green screen or dodgy special effects. Speaking of special effects, there aren’t many in this film, but the effects they do use all appear to be practical, which is rare in cinema nowadays. Two moments in particular made me wince as they were happening, which is normally a good sign when it comes to these things. The soundtrack wasn’t anything special, aside from a few songs referencing events of the film, but it got the job done.
Now, one thing I wish I could dive into more is the larger conversations Companion deals with. But alas, I fear I would go too much into spoiler territory, so I’ll make it short and sweet. Speaking broadly, Companion is about the treatment of women and how certain members of society see them. This is reflected mainly in Iris and Josh’s relationship, and it’s the main aspect that holds this film together. I kinda wish they doubled down on this conversation and really dug into it, but it works for what the film is trying to do.
Companion was a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one. I ended up really enjoying the story, characters, and the overall vibe of the film. Sure, I had some issues with pacing and would’ve loved some extra time to get to know these characters better, but the film still works well. It’s a fun time, and it was well worth the price of admission.
Have you seen Companion? What did you think? Would you trust a Russian named Sergey? Let us know in the comments where we can talk about our favourite thriller films.
