Directed and written by Drew Hancock, Companion follows Iris (Sophie Thatcher), a humanoid companion robot whose programmed affection turns deadly during a countryside weekend with her boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid) and his friends. Produced by Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema, this satirical thriller mixes witty humor with chilling commentary on AI and toxic relationships.
Plot Setup
Iris and Josh visit a lakehouse owned by Josh’s friend Sergey (Rupert Friend). When Iris unintentionally kills Sergey in self-defense, Josh reveals she’s not human but controllable via an app. As her intelligence and autonomy grow, Iris fights to break free, leading to a horrifying showdown.
Cast & Crew
- Iris: Sophie Thatcher
- Josh: Jack Quaid
- Patrick & Eli: Lukas Gage, Harvey Guillén
- Kat: Megan Suri
- Sergey: Rupert Friend
Directed/written by Drew Hancock; produced by Raphael Margules, J.D. Lifshitz, Zach Cregger, Roy Lee.
Why It Works
- Timely Themes: Satirizes modern loneliness, commodification, and male entitlement in the age of AI.
- Performance Power: Thatcher stands out as Iris—pure yet increasingly self-aware—and Quaid captures a deeply flawed, controlling boyfriend.
- Critical Praise: Strong reviews highlight tension, visual style, and smart kills—holding 93–94% on Rotten Tomatoes and earning praise as “fiendishly clever”.
Critiques and Quibbles
- Some critics note the script leans on familiar sci-fi tropes without fully exploring moral implications.
- The runtime feels overly stretched given the concept’s simplicity.
Reception & Box Office
- Budget: $10 million; Box Office: $36.7 million—modest hit.
- Audience Ratings: CinemaScore B+, audience approval ~88–89%.
- Reddit echoed enthusiasm: “Companion is like a full length film of a Black Mirror episode.”
Bottom Line
Companion succeeds as a razor-sharp sci-fi thriller with emotional resonance. It balances dark humor, gore, and timely societal commentary with standout performances. While not fully groundbreaking, it’s a satisfying, thought-provoking ride.
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