What is the nature of love? What does true companionship entail? Can these things be properly explained to, and understood by, something incapable of actual human feeling? These questions are used as a jumping off point for the premise of the sci-fi thriller Companion. However, they aren’t really explored. They are used to generate a clever riff on some familiar material. It doesn’t mine new depths, but it is amusing, nicely plotted, well-paced and doesn’t try to deliver a message that it definitely doesn’t earn. It may never break through the genre ceiling to become something more, yet it is smart, exciting and funny. I had a good time with it.
Josh and Iris are in love. She, especially, is utterly devoted to him. On their way to meet up with his friends at an isolated mansion, all she can think about is not embarrassing him. The thing is, Iris is a companion robot. When an altercation leads to murder, the group begins to wonder if Iris malfunctioned or if something else is going on.
Writer/director Drew Hancock, making his feature debut, plays with the concept in different ways. He manipulates not only audience perception, but also that of the characters. Iris does not know what she is. She distinctly remembers her past, meeting Josh, etc. The idea that none of this is real would make no sense to her. Hancock has fun with memory and passion, reality and lies. Iris has literally been built to please her owner, whatever that means. So, he can do anything he wants with her, right? Her emotions are programming, yet she operates like a person. Is there any responsibility to treat her like one? Even morally? It probably says something about a person if they treat a being who expresses thoughts and feelings terribly just because they aren’t human.
Though Companion (92 minutes, minus the end credits) does contain some violence and gore, it is surprisingly thoughtful in how it handles its story and characters. The twists, suspense and action come organically from the situation they find themselves in. You can certainly see some light, topical, commentary in here about AI and maybe a bit about misogyny. Those are far from the central purpose. This is pure genre entertainment, that plays around with an enjoyable story.
One of its richest pleasures is the performance of Sophie Thatcher as Iris. Thatcher has been on the rise for a few years now, owing to her work on the show Yellowjackets and in the movie Heretic. This is the first time I have seen her and thought “movie star.” She never approaches Iris like she is an object. She shows us the complexities of a character who is so convinced of a false reality. Who (or what) is she when that façade disappears? Companion is absolutely not a character study, but Thatcher is given room to make the audience sympathize with this confused, lovestruck, completely controlled, creation. She is captivating, making for a great protagonist for this story.
Companion has its share of surprises, dark humor, crafty writing and unexpected character details. This isn’t the type of movie where the cast gets lost in the plot or genre overcomes narrative. A lot of this reminded me of the excellent Ex Machina, though that was a lot closer to hard science fiction, which is more my speed. They both deal with issues of humanity when it comes to AI. That one is darker. This, despite a couple of icky moments, doesn’t take itself as seriously. With his screenplay, Drew Hancock displays a cleverness, as well as a willingness to follow his idea wherever it is going. As a director, he has a knack for disarming sight gags. Companion may not be great sci-fi, but it’s really entertaining.
3½ out of 5
Cast:
Sophie Thatcher as Iris
Jack Quaid as Josh
Megan Suri as Kat
Harvey Guillén as Eli
Lukas Gage as Patrick
Rupert Friend as Sergey
Written/Directed by Drew Hancock
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