“Companion (2025)” is an absolute must-see in theaters. A movie elevated by each actor giving an amazing performance as well as a perfect script and soundtrack to go along with it. The film starts out innocently with the main couple, Josh and Iris traveling to a lakefront cabin for the weekend to spend it with Josh’s close friends Kat and Eli and his boyfriend Patrick. While in the car, Iris reminisces on how her relationship with Josh started at the grocery store. Her character is a true romantic at heart even appreciating the simple and the mundane events of their lives. She immediately comes off as relatable in her worries about her impression on Josh’s friends, wanting to make sure everything goes smoothly because of how much she deeply loves him. Her love and care extends beyond him as when they reach their destination, she thanks the car for getting them there safely.
Although her 50s/60s feminine style of clothing, kind mannerisms and heart eyes make her seem authentically human, the thrilling aspect of this movie is that she’s not. Iris is an artificially intelligent robot built to look and perform exactly like a human, the perfect girlfriend to be specific. A fun detail about her character’s name is that it is Siri spelled backwards, almost as if this film is a glimpse into the near future where AI isn’t just a robotic voice stemming from your cellphone but an actual human replica that can speak with you face to face. The first night they spend at the cabin is like a scene out of a romcom, Iris still insecure and shy but still attempts to connect with Patrick, Eli, and Kat by talking about the topic of love and knowing who is your soulmate, something she’s so passionate about. They all dance with their respective significant others after eating the dinner Patrick prepared and everything on the surface is as still as the lake nearby. After that, strap in for a bloody good time.
This black comedy science fiction thriller works so well with the small cast of characters present in the film. The actors chosen to portray the characters bring so much to the roles you forget which ones are robots and which are human.
Sophie Thatcher
Horror is the genre that Sophie Thatcher thrives in. She is arguably one of the leading modern final girls in cinema. Thatcher mostly notably plays teenage Natalie Scatorccio in the Showtime Original Series “Yellowjackets (2021-)” which shows she’s no stranger to being covered in blood and dirt just like Iris. Her filmography also includes “The Boogeyman (2023)” and “Heretic (2024)” solidifying her as a phenomenal scream queen. Companion is no exception and might be her best performance yet. Combining the elements of a romcom protagonist with a horror character running for their life all while being a robot and simultaneously being the most empathetic and emotional person on screen is a talent not many actors could pull off.
Writer and director, Drew Hancock had stated in an interview about the process of casting Josh and Iris and how no one could pull of the fight dynamic needed for the final act of the movie; no one but Sophie Thatcher. Out of 300 self tapes submitted and many chemistry reads with Jack Quaid, Thatcher knocked it out of the park. She makes Iris feel alive even though she’s just a hard drive. You empathize with her character and root for her survival. Her voice is so beautiful and dynamic. Her monologues about love are really touching and all the emotions she goes through in the film such as deep confusion, being terrified and eventually fearlessness are so incredibly grounded in the human experience and especially the female experience. Thatcher even contributed to the score of the movie, her humming being an integral part of Iris’s Theme. This is a performance that needs to be seen on the big screen and Sophie Thatcher is an actress you need to pay attention to as she’s a rising star.
Jack Quaid
Jack Quaid may benefit from nepotism, his father being Dennis Quaid and his mother being Meg Ryan, but his role as Josh in this film proves his capacity to grow past expectations and really showcase his craft. Quaid’s most notable role is in the Amazon Prime series “The Boys (2019-)” as Hughie Campbell. From “Scream (2022)” to his upcoming movie “Novocain (2025)”, it’s clear he thrives in the thriller black comedy genre. Josh in particular is such a malicious character and the way he reacts as his plan unravels throughout the movie is so interesting and one of my favorite Jack Quaid performances.
Josh starts off as a super charming guy until he slowly descends to madness. Josh is probably a guy you know in real life and that is what truly makes this movie terrifying. He emulates a man who is insecure about where he ended up in life, walks around angry at the world as if he was personally slighted and will do anything in his power to control the situation he’s in. He doesn’t see the other characters around him as on his level even though they’re supposedly his best friends and you start to understand why he had to resort to having a robot as a girlfriend. The final act of this movie is amazing, Quaid’s facial expressions, delivery of his lines and his chemistry with Sophie Thatcher is everything to me.
Lukas Gage
Lukas Gage plays Patrick, Eli’s boyfriend in “Companion (2025)” and aside from the two leads, his performance was a standout. He starts off just in the sidelines but when you have a cast of characters isolated from society, everyone’s role becomes larger. Patrick is a striking compliment to the cast who brings great emotional depth to his character that you would not expect. The interactions between Iris and Patrick are apart of some of my favorite scenes in the entire film. The queer elements of this film are done very well and only elevate the main plot through the commentary on the male loneliness epidemic as well as society’s perception of women and queer people specifically in America.
Every detail of this movie weaves together a compelling commentary on exploitation, advancements in technology, greed and human connection or more precisely the lack thereof. This is a feminist horror film that tells a more engaging story than a film like “Promising Young Woman (2020)”. The fight choreography, the well timed jump-scares, the soundtrack and a balance of violence that was not excessive all combined make this movie such a fun watch especially in theaters. This film released in January 2025 but it’s already a strong contender for best horror movie of the year. Upgrade to 100% intelligence and see this film in theaters with your friends now!