Since the Companion The trailer has already revealed that Sophie Thatcher’s character is indeed an emotional support robot, to put it lightly, there is now a little more freedom to depict what makes the film so unique and timely. Don’t worry, this little bit of information is revealed at the end of the first act. As are the astute comments on women’s minds and bodies in recent films like Olivia Wilde’s. Don’t worry darling and that of Zoé Kravitz Blink twice, Companion serves up a fresh take in the vein of those films, but speaks directly to tech bros who can’t get laid and would probably have an android to torture.
Jack Quaid plays Josh, a typical keyboard friendly guy who bought Iris (Thatcher) for the company. You don’t have to be a robot to relate to Iris, and we all know a Josh: the dismissive, dismissive type who wants to look good in front of his friends. In a strange way, Thatcher is sort of like Grimes, the ex of this guy who somehow it wasn’t give the Nazi saluteand Zooey Deschanel towards 500 days of summer. It’s almost as if his model is based on both, but more flexible – or so Josh would think. However, Iris doesn’t know this, because she doesn’t know that she is a robot.
In another, lighter film, Thatcher and Quaid would have a nice romantic comedy – that’s how good their chemistry is – but that’s not this story. Companion is about the smart moves the actors have made with interesting and complex characters they’ve played in their careers thus far and we love that for them.
When Josh takes Iris on a weekend getaway with his friends, they stay at a lakeside cabin and it’s clear from the start that something is wrong; The more her human friends treat her differently, the more Iris begins to suspect something is up. Only Harvey Guillén’s Eli and his boyfriend Patrick (Lukas Gage) treat her kindly, but they have good reason. Guillén plays another fantastic supporting role here and his subplot with Gage is delightful and endearing.
However, Josh and the others aren’t really aware of Iris’ perceived agency. The excellent Megan Suri (He lives inside) is a welcome sight, but its role here seems very diminished. Randomly, Rupert Friend also appears as an “old man” (which honestly made us feel old) who is also a rich creeper with nefarious intentions.
What’s smart Companion That’s how effective the first act is: before the Manic Pixie Android’s self-awareness is unleashed, the film gives a heartbreaking vision of the future where robot companions might be normalized. And it’s strange and uncomfortable how atrocious men can be to a woman whose autonomy they have purchased.
Overall, writer-director Drew Hancock delivers a fun and intelligent film. Black mirror-a story that rips apart the kind of nice guys some guys really think they are. Quaid effortlessly displays romantic comedy chops and transforms his character from a dim-witted buffoon into something terrifying. The twists and turns are there and although the film raises many ethical questions, most remain unanswered in order to serve Iris’s story, with Thatcher giving us a stellar final (robot) heroine in what is ultimately a fairly simple story.
Although there is so much more to explore, like Eli and Patrick’s journeys, Companion mostly looks like a long time Twilight Zone light-hearted episode, with topical themes around incel culture that are about to become much more obnoxious and persistent.
Companion opens January 31.
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