Companion (dir. Drew Hancock)
By: Adam Freed
It is said that in a world of 8 billion people there is a perfect match for everyone. But in the age of instant gratification, sifting through a global population in order to find Mr. or Mrs. Right is no longer a likely course of action. Warner Bros. Studios and director Drew Hancock team to craft Companion, a wildly entertaining dark comedic thriller filled to the brim with brutality, yet wise in its commentary about the current, and potentially future states of finding meaningful relationships. Some films are best served without a trailer and Companion certainly fits that mold. The word of mouth on Hancock’s electric exploration on the art of human coupling is sure to be so good that the production could survive without giving any of itself away for free.
There’s a bold irony in the fact that companion succeeds based on the success of its compelling on-screen couple, captured by Sophie Thatcher (Heretic) and Jack Quaid (The Boys, Scream). Thatcher, plays Iris, a traditional type-b personality with a penchant toward moroseness. Iris seems far more concerned with tending to the emotional needs of her partner Josh, a quality that seems to both define her character, as well as the state of their relationship. Jack and Iris’ pairing frames the challenges of a somewhat imbalanced, 21st-century romance, sure to be a major talking point of those who brave the brutality of the psychological thriller. Companion offers logical theories at the eventualities of a society barreling towards tech based reclusiveness. Like many of the more successful psychological thrillers of the past, Drew Hancock’s film tight ropes common thematic observations such as power dynamics and the human desire for mutual respect. Companion never feels preachy in its messaging, as it is far too busy having devilish fun to find itself stuck in the redundancy of trying too hard to drive home a singular point.
Like the brutally audacious thriller Stranger Darling (2024), audience response to Companion is likely to run more favorably amongst those who enter Drew Hancock’s film with the least amount of prior knowledge. Suffice it to say that Sophie Thatcher is once again worth the price of admission, just as she was opposite a menacing Hugh Grant in last year’s religiously charged thrill ride Heretic. Like Heretic, there is plenty of meat on the conversational bone of Companion to render playful audiences prone to a late night rewatch in order to litigate some of the film’s more broadly reaching themes. If there is any truth behind soulmate theory, which asserts that each and every person has a perfect match out there somewhere, Companion is powerful enough to prompt single audience members to pump the brakes on scouring the Earth in search of that perfect someone.
Target Score: 7.5/10 Companion is equally impactful in its dual endeavors as a dark comedy and a psychological thriller. Without being preachy or pretentious, Drew Hancock’s film packs a surprising and memorable punch. Co-leads Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid offer thrilling performances in pursuit of the film’s larger purpose.