Companion (2025) Review – Just Acknowledge Sophie Thatcher Is The Scream Queen Right Now
“Companion” pushes Sophie Thatcher to the point of showing not only is she the top scream queen out there, but she could conquer the drama genre next.
Spoiler Alert: This summary and review contains spoilers.
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Plot Summary
Iris with Josh were supposed to go to a nice cabin, deep in the woods, with some friends for a few days. Eli and Patrick, another couple, would be there, alongside Cat and Sergey, who owned the property. But, the original plan goes awry, and by the end of it all, a lot of dead bodies end up in the woods.
Character Descriptions
Iris (Sophie Thatcher)
Iris is the dutiful girlfriend, prim, proper, attentive to Josh’s every need, and seemingly could be the love of his life.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Blink.”
Josh (Jack Quaid)
Josh is Iris’ boyfriend, who has brought her into the friend group.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Scream.”
Eli (Harvey Guillén)
Eli is Patrick’s boyfriend, who is a bit flamboyant with a good wit.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist: Season 2/ Episode 1.”
Patrick (Lukas Gage)
Patrick is Eli’s boyfriend, who is a wonderful cook and head over heels in love with Eli.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Smile 2.”
Sergey (Rupert Friend)
Sergey owns the land around the lake house where everyone is hanging out, and he comes off like a stereotypical Russian in many ways.
- The actor is also known for their role in “Separation.”
Cat (Megan Suri)
Cat does not like Iris, but is fond of Sergey, thinks Josh is cool, and Eli is her friend. But, generally speaking, Cat is very selective about who she shows her belly to.
- The actor is also known for their role in “It Lives Inside.”
Review
*I should note I only saw the teaser trailer and read the summary before getting screenshots for the review, hence the commentary/reaction below*
Characters
Sophie Thatcher & Jack Quaid’s Performances & How Their Characters Are Written: Highlight (86)
At this point, Sophie Thatcher is a certified scream queen, and I’d submit between “Yellowjackets” and her movie output so far, while there might be more popular actresses, they don’t have the same consistent quality. That continues in “Companion” as we see her take on Iris, who, honestly, takes you on the kind of emotional rollercoaster you may not expect.
Are Josh and Iris a couple you’ll want to see married, have kids, and live together till they die? No. It is clear early on something is up with Josh, and he doesn’t seem like the type to set all this up for a surprise proposal – never mind, you’d think Iris would discover or hint at something if that were to happen. But with how sweet, some would even say ideal, Iris is presented as a partner, you get invested in her and it makes you hope more and more Josh will act right and do better, if not his friends hold him accountable.
This makes what happens throughout the film all the more notable as you see who both Josh and Iris really are, and it isn’t a lopsided couple bound to break up eventually.
Eli: Highlight (81)
Eli is comic relief for “Companion,” and I would submit that how he is played, with a little bit of whimsy, will make him your unexpected favorite. Also, when it comes to his and Patrick’s relationship, despite its background, something about it ultimately seems sweet.
Cat: On The Fence (73)
I wish more were done with Cat. While it is understood her relationship with Sergey is the key to everything, and she provides one of the first hints to the reveal because of a line she says to Iris, I just felt like she was around and didn’t get to contribute much on camera. Again, her character did off-screen, and they built her up to potentially be interesting, but I don’t feel the follow-through was great.
World-Building & Culture
While You Get A Sense We’re In The Future, Not Much Is Built Upon That: On The Fence (75)
With the film being rather isolated, you don’t get too much of a sense of the world beyond Iris and Josh’s friends. There is a small bit of the culture, especially post-certain reveals, but I would say world-building and culture aren’t something “Companion” had a keen focus on. Instead, it wanted to just focus on characters you could get emotionally invested in and a story that lived up to the promise of the two happiest days of Iris’ life.
Story & Pacing
Despite Early Foreshadowing, “Companion” Still Packs Surprises: Highlight (89)
Speaking of the foreshadowing, you’d think a character telling you the ending would not make it feel impactful. Yet, there is the possibility you may get a bit teary-eyed at the end. Granted, it may mostly come from watching what Iris survives and how bad you feel for her, but still, to be told within the first five or so minutes how this will all end, and still be interested in the bulk of the middle? I feel like that is saying something.
Diverse Hooks & (Re)Watch Value
You’ll Be Willing To Watch This Again To See A Friend’s Reaction: Highlight (87)
Just for the two major twists alone, that will make you want to get someone to watch this again with you. Yes, Thatcher and the others of “Companion” are great, but the twists will have you looking from the corner of your eye to see your friend’s reaction.
Overall
Our Rating (81/100): Positive (Worth Seeing)
“Companion” is by no means perfect, but it feels like the film you wait for while other thriller movies and thrillers seem to be made to hold you over. Aside from “One Of Them Days,” I’d even say it deserves to be one of the big hits to start 2025 off right.
“Companion” Film Details
Runtime: 1 Hour 37 Minutes
Release Date: January 31, 2025
Initially Available On/Via: Theatrical Release
Advisory Film Rating: Rated R
Genre(s): Crime, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Distributor(s): Warner Bros., New Line Cinema
Director(s): Drew Hancock
Writer(s): Drew Hancock
Content Information
- Dialog: Cursing
- Violence: Gun Violence, Gore, Blood, Torture, Self-Harm, Notable Fight Scenes, Domestic Violence
- Sexual Content: Nudity (Limited [Female – Side of Chest]), Sexual Situations (Criminal & Implied)
- Miscellaneous: Depiction of Corpses, Body Horror, Drinking, Drug Use, Smoking
External Links
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