There’s no better audience hook for Companion than, “From the studio who brought you The Notebook, and from the unhinged creators of Barbarian.” In a rare case for the film industry, Companion is a movie that has been accurately presented to audiences via its marketing campaign.
Iris (Sophie Thatcher) experiences a meet-cute that you would generally only find in romance movies. A chance adorably awkward encounter at the grocery store with Josh (Jack Quaid). For both it’s the start of something beautiful. The love-struck Iris describes their meeting as one of two of the moments in her life where she was the happiest. The second… well, was when she killed him.
Companion is a film where the less you know about it, the better. Writer-director Drew Hancock unleashes a delightfully deranged, darkly comic psychological thriller. Full of twists, turns, and intrigue, Companion is a film that for genre fans that will undoubtedly serve as one of the most exciting cinema experiences of the year – and it is only January!
Companion explores coercively controlled relationships with romantic partners, and the toxicity shared within their friend groups. Hancock’s screenplay manages to present the more serious themes in an impactful manner. Incredibly uncomfortable scenes with dialogue provoking a nervous kind of laughter that, as the spectator, often defies belief. Did they just say that?! Hancock’s ability to weave solemnity into a film brimming with loads of humour, effectively bloody violence, and intriguing sci-fi elements, is a testament to Companion’s originality.
Jack Quaid manages to once again give a layered performance, a la the final act of Scream V. His skill with the character type of the ‘nice guy-douchebag’ is on full display. The supporting cast includes Harvey Guillen and Megan Suri. Two phenomenal performances from an unrecognisable Rupert Friend and a fully committed Lukas Gage, assist in the immersion into the lively and absurd characters that inhabit this world.
But it’s Sophie Thatcher as Iris, who following her recent psychological thriller performance in Heretic, is proving to be a worthy addition to the modern era scream queens. Thatcher’s control over the subtle complexities and nuances in a character such as Iris are multifaceted. She commands complete empathy from the audience as someone in distress and peril, while never diminishing the fact that she also can be a physical and psychological bad ass. Considering horror normally gets shoved to the side when it comes to awards, Thatcher’s performance will undoubtedly be discussed throughout the year as either underrated or not appreciated as much as it should have been.
Every part of Companion works to create an entire movie experience that acts as a reminder of how fun genre films can be when done right. Led by Sophie Thatcher’s incredible performance, with the support of a great cast, and a clever script, Companion is unmissable.
Companion is in cinemas January 30, courtesy of Universal Pictures.
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Nick is a Brisbane-based film/TV reviewer. He gained his following starting with his 60 second video reviews of all the latest releases on Instagram (@nicksflicksfix), before launching a monthly podcast with Peter Gray called Monthly Movie Marathon. Nick contributes to Novastream with interviews and reviews for the latest blockbusters.