Drew Hancock’s new film “Companion” reminded me of that magical 1978 song “What You Won’t Do for Love, one of the first songs I ever heard at the ripe old age of 10-years-old and a song I’ve loved all my life. It grooves with a smooth rhythm reinforced by some sinuous sax play, and on the surface, the lyrics are incredibly romantic, describing how you’re willing to make sacrifices for the one you love. But some of those lyrics are borderline creepy too, particularly the words
And though I only want the best, it’s true
I can’t believe the things I’d do for you
Fusing Horror, Thriller, and Romance
“Companion” feels like a funhouse mirror-version of that song, dealing with themes of obsession, control and the darker aspects of love. With that being said, you’ll enjoy the film most if you know very little about it beforehand. The film is so loaded with plot twists (including a doozy of a twist about 20 minutes in) that writing a non-spoiler review of it is akin to walking through a minefield on stilts. Don’t fear though, I’ll stick with generalities.
Iris (played by Sophie Thatcher) and her boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid) arrive at the house of Josh’s rich friend Sergey (Rupert Friend), situated in a secluded forest miles away from the nearest town, to spend the weekend there. Also staying for the weekend are Josh’s other friends Kat (Megan Suri), Eli (Harvey Guillén) and Patrick (Lukas Gage). After a night of partying, a series of events happen that rock Iris’s world to the core. Will she or anyone else make it out of the forest alive?
“Companion” fuses the thriller, horror, and romance genres and juggles them all pretty successfully, careening from Hitchockian suspense to “Friday the 13th”—style splatter gore, but what the film does best is convey the malignancy of an unhealthy relationship, a relationship where we can be so in love with someone that we only see what’s good about them while ignoring their flaws, no matter how sinister those flaws are.
Gage and Quaid are Apt
Iris and Josh’s relationship is all about Josh’s needs and Iris is frustratingly fine with that. On the surface, Josh seems like a great guy, but as the movie progresses we see him for what he truly is. Jack Quaid’s made a career of playing the wholesome everyman, the atypical hero who’s shy, awkward and reluctant to action. Here he bucks that trend, playing a guy who gets more petty and loathsome as the movie progresses. Any love Josh had for Iris, if he ever had any to begin with, is gone and he treats Iris like any other object he owns. He might as well have “malignant narcissist” tattooed on his forehead because any time Iris rebuffs him even in the slightest, he turns into a feckless ball of rage that’s simultaneously hilarious and terrifying. You know he has no physical strength and he’s kind of a clown but still, his rage is truly scary.
The romance between Eli and Patrick, though having its own bizarre backstory, is more equal and loving and I enjoyed seeing them together. Harvey Guillén is as fun to watch here as he was on the show “What We Do in the Shadows” and his character is very similar to the one he played on that show, full of self-doubt, questioning himself constantly but always getting support from Patrick. I would have loved to see more scenes with them together before the havoc starts.
Sophie Thatcher Shines
Sophie Thatcher dominates the film as Iris, of course. At times she’s the spitting image of “Natural Born Killers”-era Juliette Lewis, having that same edgy quirkiness that Juliette had in her early films. Her character evolves most throughout the film and it’s a hell of an arc that she performs masterfully at every step. At the beginning of the film she’s so sweet and adorable. Every time Josh snaps at her she always replies with a smile, giving him a loving “whatever you say, dear” look. This is where Sophie’s performance shines, because you can feel the pain behind every one of those smiles and her puzzlement on why he treats her that way.
It’s all pretty heartbreaking, but the crazy events of the film change her and the second half of the film is absolutely thrilling as she not only fights for her life but for her independence and “What You Won’t Do For Love” suddenly changes to “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” The film will likely anger the usual crowd of immature males and misogynists who will rage from their keyboards, but who cares? Iris, you rock, and so does this film.
