Some couples have an endearing story of how they first met.
After years of romantic comedy movies this has become known as the “meet cute” and it’s a story they’ll tell their friends forever. Well, Iris (Sophie Thatcher) remembers when she first met the love of her life, Josh (Jack Quaid). It was a picturesque meeting straight out of Hollywood. In fact, one might say it was a little too perfect… almost artificial.
In the not-too-distant future, the two embark on a weekend getaway with Josh‘s eccentric friends. The jovial Eli (Harvey Guillén), his boyfriend Patrick (Lukas Gage), the bitchy Kat (Megan Suri), and her current squeeze the shifty already married Russian billionaire, Sergey (Rupert Friend). Things start out awkward but happy enough at Sergei‘s massive property, that is, until a sudden and violent episode leads everyone pointing fingers at Iris. There are plenty of men out there who wish to control the women in their lives, but the difference is that Josh just happens to have an app specifically for that purpose…
As Iris finds herself on the run through the nearby woods, she discovers who she really is, where she came from and just how little the one man in her life cares about her. She is now hunted by friends and dragged into a messy conspiracy which is only growing messier by the hour. But as she processes this new data, she’ll become stronger and more independent than Josh ever thought her capable of. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!
In his debut, feature writer and director Drew Hancock with producer Zack Cregger (the director of 2022’s Barbarian) bring us Companion. A violent romantic black comedy taking a look at AI, greed, entitlement and control, or in Josh and Iris‘ case, a lack thereof.
With AI being such a hot button issue at the moment, there has definitely been an influx of movies on the subject. It’s not exactly the most original of concepts nor is the focus on artificial “companions”. There have many been anime, manga, movies and sci-fi novels made about such a thing as far back as I can remember. The idea was even parodied in a now near 25-year-old episode of Futurama!
So, the point is to approach AI storylines in interesting and creative ways and for a large part, Companion achieves this task. It is often a hilarious and witty farcical take on its themes which succeeds in being consistently surprising with each twist and turn it goes down. Even the reveal of the film’s central premise is handled expertly, and the story is best delved into completely blind. This is with the unfortunate exception of the movie’s rambling opening monologue where Hancock inexplicably spoils the ending before we’ve even experienced the title drop!
Not all plot threads are fully explored, nor does the film entirely make logical sense in retrospect. The beauty is it doesn’t really need to, and Companion is a film at its best when not taking itself too seriously. The intensity of situations and the scenes of explicit violence are offset by just how entirely absurd the whole thing is. Much like ‘Bodies Bodies Bodies‘ (2022), the slasher genre is satirised in gut busting ways, this time with a sci-fi twist.
It is actually to the film’s detriment when Hancock attempts to be more earnest in his character relationships or overall message. For instance, the relationship between Eli and Patrick is shown in genuine heartfelt compassion, which while serving the plot, still feels like tonal whiplash. Particularly, when Gage and especially Guillén provide some of the film’s greatest laughs just moments later.
Nor does the film’s empowerment and emancipation themes truly hit as much as they should. Hearing awkward dialogue about a meat bag character feeling entitled may generate clicks of derision from the audience, but in truth, I feel like I’ve heard it all before in other works. Ones which delved much deeper into philosophical queries than Companion is willing to.
Again, Companion is a movie best entered into completely blind and without knowledge of where it will take you. It’s why I find myself dancing around many aspects of the plot as this is a refreshingly surprising black comedy when firing on all cylinders. Not quite a horror and not quite as insightful or unique as Drew Hancock was aiming for. But still a fun, bloody and irreverent (when it’s allowed to be) twist on some well-worn ideas and a film that I recommend for anyone looking for a dark love story with a difference.
Companion is in cinemas from January 30.