---
title: "Companion"
year: 2025
kind: "film"
canonical: "https://film.one/film/companion"
fi1m_id: "companion"
imdb_id: "tt26584495"
tmdb_id: 1084199
wikidata_id: "Q125933907"
fi1m_score: 70
critics_score: 73
critics_reviews: 20
published: "2026-09-09"
updated: "2026-09-18T08:37:51.968650+00:00"
region: "US"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Companion (2025)

Directed by Drew Hancock · 1h 37m · MPA R · Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller

## Identity

Companion

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/companion
- **Type:** Film
- **Fi1m ID:** companion
- **IMDb ID:** tt26584495
- **TMDB ID:** 1084199
- **Wikidata ID:** Q125933907
- **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26584495/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/1084199, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q125933907

**Fi1m score: 70** · Critics 73 from 20 reviews

*In a sentence:* The nicest man at the lake house bought his girlfriend, and he would like some credit for that

> Drew Hancock’s first film as director is quick, nasty and well acted, and Sophie Thatcher is reason enough to see it. It also says everything it has to say about men like Josh in the first half hour, then keeps saying it with knives.

## Synopsis

Iris (Sophie Thatcher) is in love with Josh (Jack Quaid) and nervous about a weekend away with his friends. The house belongs to Sergey (Rupert Friend), a rich man with a lake, a bar and a temper, and the party includes Kat (Megan Suri), who has no time for Iris, and the couple Eli (Harvey Guillén) and Patrick (Lukas Gage). Before the first full day is out, Iris learns something about herself that Josh has always known, and the weekend changes shape entirely. Drew Hancock writes and directs. The film runs 97 minutes and carries a 15 certificate.

## Review

A companion robot is a machine built to love one person and to have no wants of its own. Drew Hancock’s film puts one at a lake house for a weekend with the boyfriend who bought her and his friends, and asks what happens when she finds out what she is. It is a good idea, briskly handled, and for about forty minutes it is as sharp as anything the genre has managed lately. Then it becomes a chase, and the chase is the less interesting half.

Thatcher is the film. She plays Iris first as a woman trying too hard to please, laughing a beat late at jokes and checking Josh’s face before she settles on her own expression, and it reads as nerves until it reads as programming. When Iris learns the truth, Thatcher does not go blank and she does not go metallic; she goes hurt, and then she goes practical. We felt for her a good deal more than we expected to feel for a machine in a horror comedy, and the scene that did it was Iris being told, at a kitchen table, what she is, and watching the people around her treat the news as a joke at her expense. Thatcher plays it with almost nothing, and it is the best thing in the film.

Jack Quaid plays Josh as the sort of man who describes himself as a nice guy and believes the description. He is good at it, whining and reasonable and wounded in the same breath, and the funniest lines in the film are his complaints about how hard all this is for him. We laughed at him a great deal. We also noticed, somewhere past the hour, that the film had made the same point about him four or five times, and that each time it made it with a little more blood and a little less wit.

The rest of the house is well cast. Lukas Gage’s Patrick is sweet and slightly absent, and Harvey Guillén gives Eli the warmth of a man who has never had to be brave and suspects he is about to. Megan Suri’s Kat is bored and contemptuous of Iris in a way the script lets her be right and wrong about at once. Rupert Friend’s Sergey owns the house and behaves as if he owns the guests, and he sets the whole thing going.

Eli Born shoots the house in warm, clean daylight, glass and pale timber and the lake beyond, so that when things go wrong they go wrong in the prettiest possible light. Scott Kuzio’s house is the kind of place a rich man builds to prove he has taste. Vanessa Porter puts Iris in the dresses of a woman assembled from an idea of a wife rather than from any wife who ever lived, and the joke is quiet enough that it keeps working. Hrishikesh Hirway’s score stays small for the most part and lets the silences in the house do the work. Josh Ethier and Brett W. Bachman cut the first act with patience and the rest at speed, and the film does not feel a minute longer than its 97, which is a compliment and also a hint about how much it has to think about.

What the film does not do is push past its premise. Everyone has seen *The Stepford Wives* (1975) and [*Ex Machina*](https://film.one/film/ex-machina) (2014), and Hancock knows we have; his script assumes the argument about men who want women without wills has already been won, and spends its second half handing out punishments. That is fine as far as it goes. But the film keeps promising a further thought, about what Iris wants once she has stopped wanting Josh, and it never gets there, because there is always another body to deal with. A couple of turns in the middle we will not describe are neat, and they do not change what the film is about.

See it with someone whose taste in partners you have doubts about, and watch which of you laughs. At home it is a little less loud, and the jokes about Josh land more quietly, which suits them. It carries a 15 for the blood, which is stagey and plentiful.

*Fi1m score 70, published 9 September 2026.*

## What the critics say

Most critics like Companion, and they like it for the same reasons. The praise clusters almost entirely on Sophie Thatcher as Iris, the robot girlfriend, whose performance is singled out in review after review as the film’s chief asset, with Jack Quaid mentioned nearly as often. The reviews also credit Hancock’s script for its twists, for keeping a horror, comedy and satire hybrid on its feet, and for its jab at controlling men and modern dating.

The reservations cluster on familiarity: several critics find the Stepford Wives premise and the sympathetic-robot angle overfamiliar, and The AV Club calls the twists easy and the satire superficial. The Times thinks it runs out of ideas once the gore begins, and Little White Lies is the outright dissenter, finding the whole thing rote. The spread is fairly narrow, with most reviews landing in the warmly approving middle and the loudest enthusiasm coming from American genre outlets rather than the British broadsheets.

## Straight answers

**Is Companion worth watching?**

*Companion* is worth watching if you like your horror quick, nasty and funny about men, and we scored it 70. Sophie Thatcher is reason enough on her own, and the first forty minutes are as sharp as the genre has managed lately. The second half turns into a chase that keeps making the same point about Josh with more blood and less wit.

**How long is Companion, and what is it rated?**

*Companion* runs 1h 37m and is rated R by the MPA in the US. It is a horror and science fiction film.

**Where can I watch Companion in the US?**

*Companion* is streaming on HBO Max, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Hulu and The Roku Channel in the US, and it is also available to rent from Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video from $4.99. Availability is checked daily; the links above go straight to each service.

**How violent or frightening is Companion, and is it suitable for children?**

*Companion* carries a 15 certificate in the UK and an R in the US, and it is not suitable for children. The blood is stagey and plentiful, and the story runs on a man's cruelty to a woman he owns, played for laughs and then for knives. Teenagers of 15 and up who enjoy horror comedy should cope; the squeamish will find the second half a long forty minutes.

**What should I watch after Companion?**

After *Companion*, try [*Ex Machina*](https://film.one/film/ex-machina) (2014, Fi1m 82): The same question about men and the machines they build, asked with the jokes taken out. Then [*Barbarian*](https://film.one/film/barbarian) (2022, Fi1m 77): Zach Cregger, who produced this, directing; a rental gone wrong, funnier and much nastier.

### Reviews we read (25)

- **Slant Magazine**, Seth Katz (4/4): The film trenchantly satirizes 21st-century romance while delivering gory genre thrills, with clever plotting, sympathetic focus on the AI protagonist’s existential plight, and effective staging of kills as sight gags. [Read](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/companion-review-sophie-thatcher-jack-quaid/)
- **Los Angeles Times**, Robert Abele (80/100, inferred): The dark techno-farce mixes AI and dating anxieties in a slick, violent lark with pace and verve, hinging on Iris's compelling journey of sentience and survival amid twists. It offers witty empathy and date-night thrills despite occasional logical shortcuts. [Read](https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2025-01-30/companion-review-sophie-thatcher-jack-quaid-horror)
- **Screen Daily** (80/100, inferred): The critic finds it a smart horror with surprising hidden depths and a gleeful tonal mash-up. It singles out the biting comments underneath the glossy surface and the many surprising directions for praise. [Read](https://www.screendaily.com/reviews/companion-review/5201375.article)
- **Time Out**, Georgia Evans (4/5): The critic calls it this year’s M3GAN in a wickedly fun AI horror. It singles out the cathartic and darkly funny exploration of gender dynamics and control for praise. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/companion-review-2025)
- **RogerEbert.com**, Peyton Robinson (75/100, inferred): The film is an enjoyable sci-fi horror-comedy that updates Stepford Wives themes to critique commodified relationships and incel culture through Iris, a sentient robot companion. It features strong performances, especially from Thatcher, effective comedy, and some tense moments, though it doesn't fully maximize its horrific or thematic potential. [Read](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/companion-movie-review-2025)
- **The Guardian** (75/100, inferred): The film is a bracingly grisly romp that takes aim at overcontrolling boyfriends and entitled man-babies. It is pulpy, bloody fun with a luxe backdrop and generous body count, though it isn’t breaking new ground. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/feb/02/companion-review-drew-hancock-bloody-tech-horror-presses-the-button-marked-fun)
- **Variety**, Peter Debruge (75/100, inferred): Hancock's debut cleverly satirizes male dominance and AI anxieties through a deranged date movie that keeps viewers guessing with unpredictable spirals. It's smarter than similar films but less profound than Ex Machina, delivering control and execution-dependent thrills. [Read](https://variety.com/2025/film/reviews/companion-review-sophie-thatcher-jack-quaid-1236279638/)
- **The Telegraph** (70/100, inferred): The dark comic thriller uses a juicy science-fiction premise about robotic lovers and questions why such a species would create AI in the first place. Thatcher’s performance toggles between uncanny and natural with wonderful delicacy. [Read](https://www.telegraph.co.uk/films/0/companion-review/)
- **The AV Club**, Jesse Hassenger (C+): Sophie Thatcher gives a standout performance as the robot companion, but the film is otherwise overfamiliar and facile, with easy twists lacking shock value and superficial satirical takes on relationship dynamics. [Read](https://www.avclub.com/companion-review)
- **Financial Times**, Stephanie Bunbury (60/100, inferred): The tonally jumpy mix of horror, comedy and social commentary exposes the male owner’s dark side through a sex-bot who turns aggressive. It veers between the comic and visceral with Barbie-bright colours and stage blood. [Read](https://www.ft.com/content/e63cbed7-4110-43af-ad0f-17d54fee7d91)
- **Radio Times**, Kevin Harley (3/5): The critic describes a darkly mischievous horror comedy with a feminist thrust that juggles genres nimbly. It singles out Quaid and Thatcher's superb turns and the blood-soaked pay-offs for praise, while noting the script is never quite as funny or surprising as it could have been. [Read](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-5ikbp1/companion/)
- **The Times** (55/100, inferred): The witty dystopian satire begins on strong form with excellent work from Thatcher but descends into violence and runs out of ideas after the initial setup. It is a lesser film because of the shift to gory excess. [Read](https://www.thetimes.com/culture/film/article/companion-film-review-h57ghxh08)
- **Little White Lies**, Hannah Strong (3/2/2): The critic finds the film slips into exhausting clichés and is a frustratingly rote AI apologist film. It singles out the cliché premise and lack of differentiation from other robot sympathising thrillers for complaint, while noting some jokes about robot fucking. [Read](https://lwlies.com/reviews/companion)
- **Empire**, Laura Venning: The review finds Companion entertaining if inconsequential, buoyed by solid central performances, and notes that it becomes sprightly and surprising in its second half as a noir-ish chase with humour. It praises the cast’s awareness that it is all just a bit of bloody fun. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/companion/)
- **Evening Standard**, Nick Howells: The critic calls the film a timely, unsubtle but wildly entertaining take on the rogue robot genre with lashings of inventively bloody kicks and wry riffs on AI. Sophie Thatcher’s standout performance as Iris is singled out for praise. [Read](https://www.standard.co.uk/culture/film/companion-film-review-sophie-thatcher-b1207427.html)
- **The Hollywood Reporter**, Frank Scheck: The critic calls it a deliciously twisted, ingenious fast-paced horror-thriller with mordant humor and sly satirical commentary on romantic power dynamics. Strong praise for the performances, especially Sophie Thatcher and Jack Quaid. [Read](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/companion-review-sophie-thatcher-jack-quaid-1236114229/)
- **The New York Times**, Jeannette Catsoulis (Critic's Pick): The fast-paced horror-comedy surprises with twists every few minutes as a lakeside getaway turns into a battleground of gender dynamics and technophobia. It cycles through genres with logical rigor and warped fun, centering on a robot girlfriend's awakening. [Read](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/30/movies/companion-review.html)
- **Vulture**: It is a mean, entertaining romp with clever construction, sharp comic timing, escalating violence, and strong performances, particularly from Thatcher; the film prioritizes fun over deep ideas. [Read](https://www.vulture.com/article/review-companion-is-a-perfectly-mean-romp.html)
- **/Film**, Chris Evangelista (9/10): The critic hails it as the first great film of 2025, a funny, fast-moving horror-thriller with meticulous craft, excellent world-building, and a standout performance from Sophie Thatcher. It entertains with twists and surprises while balancing relationship themes without becoming overly preachy. [Read](https://www.slashfilm.com/1767388/companion-movie-review/)
- **Deadline**, Pete Hammond (85/100, inferred): Pete Hammond describes it as a deliciously fun new AI flick that mixes elements from The Stepford Wives, M3GAN, Her, and Barbarian into a smart sci-fi/horror/noir/comedy hybrid. He praises the twisty plot that goes beyond expectations and the strong performances, especially Sophie Thatcher's. [Read](https://deadline.com/2025/01/companion-review-sophie-thatcher-jack-quaid-1236274581/)
- **Collider**, Emma Kiely (8/10): The film succeeds as a sharp, suspenseful and hilarious blend of tech/AI anxiety and modern dating woes, with a well-paced thriller narrative and strong ensemble led by Sophie Thatcher. The critic highlights its unique fusion of familiar elements into something distinctive and its surprisingly tender take on love and control. [Read](https://collider.com/companion-movie-review/)
- **Den of Geek**, David Crow (4/5): The critic calls it a witty and twisty dark comedy revenge fantasy that delivers a satisfying twist on The Stepford Wives. They single out Sophie Thatcher's warm and empathetic performance as the standout element. [Read](https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/companion-review/)
- **Digital Spy**, Ian Sandwell (80/100, inferred): The critic finds it an entertainingly twisted and unpredictable sci-fi horror that remains fun even if you know the twist. They highlight the script's clever expectations-playing and the leads' strong comic timing and physical performances. [Read](https://www.digitalspy.com/movies/a63505896/companion-review/)
- **The Wrap** (80/100, inferred): The review calls it a devilishly clever horror comedy about one-sided relationships, praising the screenplay's twists, balance of genres, and performances by Thatcher and Quaid. It highlights the film's satisfying storytelling and humor. [Read](https://www.thewrap.com/companion-review-drew-hancock-sophie-thatcher-jack-quaid/)
- **Film Stories**, Maria Lattila (70/100, inferred): The critic finds the film a fun comedic horror with sharp wit and strong performances, particularly from Sophie Thatcher as Iris and Lukas Gage as Patrick. It leans more into comedy than horror and raises some interesting points about control and patriarchy but feels a bit unsteady and overly reminiscent of similar movies. [Read](https://filmstories.co.uk/reviews/companion-review-stepford-wives-lite)

## Details

- **Director:** Drew Hancock
- **Director:** Drew Hancock
- **Writer:** Drew Hancock
- **Cinematography:** Eli Born
- **Editor:** Brett W. Bachman, Josh Ethier
- **Music:** Hrishikesh Hirway
- **Production design:** Scott Kuzio
- **Costume design:** Vanessa Porter
- **Producer:** Zach Cregger, Raphael Margules, J.D. Lifshitz
- **Cast:** Sophie Thatcher as Iris; Jack Quaid as Josh; Lukas Gage as Patrick; Megan Suri as Kat; Harvey Guillén as Eli; Rupert Friend as Sergey; Jaboukie Young-White as Teddy; Matthew J. McCarthy as Sid
- **Runtime:** 1h 37m
- **Certificate (MPA):** R
- **Release (the US):** 31 January 2025
- **Genres:** Horror, Science Fiction, Thriller
- **Budget:** $10 million
- **Box office:** $37 million
- **Trailer:** https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr_kX0D3DNA

## Where to watch in the US

- HBO Max: streaming, uhd
- Amazon Prime Video: add-on, uhd
- Apple TV: add-on, hd
- Hulu: add-on, hd
- The Roku Channel: add-on, hd
- Apple TV: rent $4.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: rent $4.99, uhd
- Apple TV: buy $14.99, hd
- Amazon Prime Video: buy $14.99, uhd

*Checked 2026-09-10.*

Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HK, HR, HU, ID, IE, IN, IT, JP, MX, MY, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PH, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SG, SI, SK, TH, TR, US, VN. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country.

## If you liked this

- *Ex Machina* (2014), Fi1m 82: The same question about men and the machines they build, asked with the jokes taken out. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/ex-machina.md)
- *The Stepford Wives* (1975): The original wives-as-appliances film, slower and stranger, and still the one to beat.
- *Westworld* (1973): A resort where the robots stop taking it; Yul Brynner in black, unhurried and unstoppable.
- *Ready or Not* (2019): Another rich family’s weekend gone wrong, with Samara Weaving where Thatcher is.
- *Barbarian* (2022), Fi1m 77: Zach Cregger, who produced this, directing; a rental gone wrong, funnier and much nastier. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/barbarian.md)

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/companion