Companion: A Sharp-Fanged Satire on Toxic Relationships
Sophie Thatcher delivers a star-making performance in this fiendishly clever sci-fi thriller about power dynamics.
What begins as a charming romantic comedy quickly reveals itself as something far more sinister. Companion uses its high-concept premise—a robot girlfriend becomes aware of her subjugation—to deliver pointed commentary on toxic masculinity and the illusion of consent.
Sophie Thatcher is extraordinary as Iris, the companion robot who must convincingly play a character who is simultaneously human and inhuman, awake and asleep, victim and eventual survivor. She accomplishes all of this while making us care desperately about her fate.
Jack Quaid's Josh is the film's most uncomfortable element by design. His ability to control Iris's emotions on a scale from 1 to 100 makes him a monster, yet Quaid plays him with just enough charm that we understand how victims can be deceived.
Critics have praised Companion as the first great film of 2025. At a lean 97 minutes, it never overstays its welcome. Sophie Thatcher is a star. Remember her name.
Pros
- + Sophie Thatcher's star-making performance
- + Clever script with genuine surprises
- + Biting commentary on relationship dynamics
Cons
- - Some plot conveniences
Verdict
Smart, twisty, and deeply satisfying—the first great genre film of 2025.