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Companion

Companion

The studio behind The Notebook and Barbarian has cooked up a devilishly funny thriller with a twinkle in its eye.

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Life couldn't be more perfect for Iris and her seemingly perfect boyfriend Josh, with the lovebirds taking their relationship a step further by introducing her to his best friends. However, what starts out as a relaxing weekend getaway ends up with a murder and Iris' world comes crashing down as she gains new insights into her boyfriend, as well as her very existence.

Companion thus goes from sweet love story to a bloodcurdling commentary on toxic relationships and manipulative boyfriends with a little science-fiction twist, which... is more original than it actually is. Companion initially feels like a film we've already seen several times in recent years, in very different guises, however, that doesn't stop Companion from being a furiously entertaining romp that is adept at surprising and engaging all the way through to the credits.

The less you know about Companion, the better the whole film experience becomes, quite simply. The film's design relies on triggering twist-after-twist like dominoes, but even if you've been unlucky enough to have come across the latest trailer, the film has more surprises to offer. It also helps that the film is incredibly stylish to look at and the ironic choice of songs reinforces the film's playfulness with the "love at first sight" concept.

Companion

The film's backbone, however, relies mainly on Drew Hancock's confident storytelling and the strong performances of its leads. Sophie Thatcher, last seen in Heretic, steals the limelight as the abused girlfriend who here shifts and navigates her way through different emotional states with a twinkle in her eye. The Boys star Jack Quaid is a great addition as a more callous and bitter man, willing to go to any lengths to maintain control over a situation that is really beyond his control. The rest of the cast also work very well, but it is the dynamic of the "lovers" that really takes the twisted premise up a notch.

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For such a dark and existential film with a morbid sense of humour, it's also unexpectedly light to take in. Much of this is thanks to the film's brisk pace and thin story, with Hancock choosing not to spend too much time on the details. The logic is somewhat flimsy and I also find the film's climax somewhat weak, but the tight storytelling makes you accept the premise pretty quickly and you just go along for Hancock's crazy ride.

In the end, Companion is a devilishly fun relationship thriller that could have gone horribly wrong given how many different tones and genres Hancock tries to mix, but the result is surprisingly solid. It's cold-blooded, humorous, and even a bit thought-provoking between all the scenes of violence. Sometimes it's quite smart, and sometimes a bit too silly, but it's always entertaining.

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07 Gamereactor UK
7 / 10
overall score
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Companion

Companion

MOVIE REVIEW. Written by André Lamartine

The studio behind The Notebook and Barbarian has cooked up a devilishly funny thriller with a twinkle in its eye.



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