Companion Review: Delightfully Deranged Comedy Thriller

Don’t watch the trailer. Don’t read the summary. If you’re going to take anything away from this review, it’s that you should watch Companion at the theater the second you get the chance and go in knowing as little as possible. This review will spoil nothing; I’ll be providing in-depth thoughts while sharing as few story details as possible. The experience must be preserved, and I’m going to help you do that. Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid star in this horror comedy movie of sorts as Iris and Josh, a couple visiting their friends for a weekend getaway.

That’s all I can really say about what this movie is about. What I can also confidently tell you is that this movie is twisted and beautifully insane. I loved it. Writer/director Drew Hancock does a phenomenal job here. Companion has been marketed as from the studio that gave us The Notebook and the makers of Barbarian. While Barbarian director Zach Cregger is a producer on this film, credit must be given to Hancock for this deliciously good time at the movies. This film takes you on one hell of a ride, and it’s one of the best theatrical experiences you’ll have all year.

The movie opens with a classic meet cute between our two leads. Iris and Josh run into each other at a grocery store. Josh accidentally knocks over a bunch of oranges while trying to introduce himself. It’s a cute beginning, but the narration from Iris promises something sinister to come. From here, we cut to them driving up to a remote getaway in a self-driving car. It’s set in a not-so-distant future, with technology elevated a cut above what we have in 2025. There are fascinating ideas in this film that all feel grounded in the world we live in today.

Once they get there, we meet our supporting cast of characters. We have Josh’s friend Kat (Megan Suri), who does not particularly like Iris and is dating a Russian mobster named Sergey (Rupert Friend). We also have another couple, Patrick (Lukas Gage) and Eli (Harvey Guillén). It’s nice to learn about Patrick and Eli’s story of how they met and the genuine love that exists between these two men. The film also gives Kat a reason to dislike Iris and the movie plays around a bit with the emotions that run high between these two.

But to say that that’s all this movie is about would be an understatement. About 20-25 minutes in, Companion takes its first horrifying turn. From there, we have a twist, then another, then another. Hancock does a splendid job of recontextualizing everything that we saw before over and over again. What happens? Let’s just say there’s a lot of blood involved. As the film progresses, the dynamic between the characters evolves in absurd directions, all designed to bring out the loudest laughs. This is one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in the theater in recent memory.

Companion carries a pitch-black sense of humor that worked marvelously for me. The editing and shot choices allow for simple jokes on the page to have maximum impact. There are moments that might not sound funny in a script, but seeing it play out on screen is absolutely hysterical. One such example surrounds a flashback where we see Patrick and Eli meeting each other. It’s funny the first time, but later, we see the same scene from a new perspective. Hancock plays around with the audience knowing what will happen next, but because of the new perspective, the scene somehow becomes even funnier.

Thatcher gives a fantastic performance in this film. Between Yellowjackets, The Boogeyman, and Heretic, she’s really solidifying herself as a scream queen. She’s magnetic in this film. She’s so fun to watch, particularly as Iris ends up in ridiculous situations that she must think her way out of. Quaid is also a fantastic presence in all his work. He gets to show a side similar to his work in Scream. Josh is a classic “nice guy,” but like a lot of nice guys, there’s a lot going on underneath the surface that is not as nice.

Companion is a bloody brilliant film with some of the most well-crafted comedy I’ve seen in a horror film. The movie pulls the perfect amount of humor from the dialogue, which often sounds like a classic example of a couple’s argument, but under the context of this movie, that same dialogue becomes hilarious. This film knows exactly how to handle its tone, allowing it to be a total knockout and a satisfying crowd-pleaser. It’s not often that a movie can balance genres so well. Companion offers a perfectly pleasurable experience that will have you in stitches. Watch this movie as soon as you can, and avoid any and all spoilers.

SCORE: 9/10

As ComingSoon’s review policy explains, a score of 9 equates to “Excellent.” Entertainment that reaches this level is at the top of its type. The gold standard that every creator aims to reach.

Disclosure: ComingSoon attended a press screening for our Companion review.