REVIEW: ‘Companion’ Is Not The Rom-Com You’re Looking For

Companion (2025) is the latest addition to a sci-fi horror subgenre that, frankly, should probably be put on ice for a hot minute. Starring Jack Quaid and Sophie Thatcher, this multi-genre-fusing film is rightfully funny in all the right ways and will entertain. However, the editing does the heavy lifting to try to smooth over clunky bouts of exposition that peel back the curtain and highlight the deficiencies in the writing. And with its final act, it takes a convoluted, less satisfying path to its conclusion.

Its voiceover beginning reveals the story’s trajectory, setting at least proper expectations for the viewer. Overlayed with a meet-cute moment ripped out of Hallmark featuring Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and her boyfriend, Josh (Jack Quaid), it is a recipe for probable future devastation. The two venture off to an undisclosed retreat with their friends, and Iris is a bundle of nerves. Almost neurotic even. It makes the inevitable reveal much later on all the more telling of Josh’s character. When it comes to the depths he is willing to go, further bolstered by his general average “nice guy” proclivities, let’s just say, it won’t be long until you’re cheering for him to get got.

Despite its rom-com start-up, it’s anything but, and I’d advise against going into Companion (2025) with that genre expectation. The unfolding horror of the scenario injects itself seamlessly into the film. As Iris, Thatcher embodies the woman with palpable anxiety, manifesting itself in facial ticks, awkward body movements, and the most reluctant smile. Even with the meet-cute at the film’s beginning, Thatcher’s body language as Iris tells the audience that this relationship is not what it seems.

The twists and turns in Companion beg us to look for more.

The cast of characters expands with memorable introductions, with dynamics becoming immediately clear. There’s a secret everyone dances around pertaining to Iris, and they are none too subtle. Her nervousness and anxiety over Josh’s friends disliking her is well-earned based on how they treat her. The dialogue exchanged all around is designed to reveal the ruse early, cluing the viewers in before Iris. And then, once that bandaid gets ripped off, things begin to intrigue until they don’t.

Companion (2025) is hilarious despite its darkness, with the actors firing on all cylinders. The comedic timing is handled well in their capable hands but is given extra support by editors Brett W. Bachman and Josh Ethier, who work their magic. Their editing gifts are most apparent when flashbacks of exposition threaten (and sometimes succeed) to throw off momentum. Unfortunately, editing can only do so much to right a ship when it’s determined to take its course, even if that course profoundly weakens a promising story.

It is a shame, too, considering the tension bubbling from the beginning. Whether it’s Rupert Friend’s Sergey staring knowingly from across the room, or the snide, passive-aggressive (and sometimes just aggressive) barbs from Megan Suri’s Kat, there’s seemingly no escape from the uncomfortable energy Companion broadcasts. The exception is the rather adorable relationship between Eli (Harvey Guillén) and Patrick (Lukas Gage), who provide a shining beacon of light.

Not even Jack Quaid’s natural charm can give Josh any sort of depth.

Most of the characterization, bolstered by performances, highlights Drew Hancock’s strengths as both writer and director. But somewhere along the way in the development of Josh and the overall twists in Companion (2025), the plot got lost. Despite Quaid’s ease and charm as Josh, the character is thinly defined. This comes into glaring focus in the film’s final act, where decisions are made without proper buildup or development and the story is stretched to new levels to reach the more typical conclusion one expects from this subgenre.

And that’s not to say that there aren’t moments of gold. One particular reveal in the final act of Companion (2025) was a perfect stopping point. It encapsulated the comedic beats and tone the film had been playing with throughout. It likely would have solidified the characterization that Josh was not as clever as he imagined. Unfortunately, Companion (2025) didn’t end there; with that, it scrambles to a less satisfying finish line.

Produced by the creators of Barbarian, Drew Hancock’s Companion boasts many twists and turns, with entertaining and hilarious moments that are sure to make audiences chuckle. But look a bit deeper, and the cracks become glaringly visible, removing some of the shine from what could have been a more satisfying feature.

Companion (2025) releases in theaters on January 31, 2025.