A bit early, but the best Valentine’s Day movie in ages has arrived! That is, provided you like a skosh more slaughter than swooning in your rom-com-adjacent fare. Companion, writer/director (and Omaha native!) Drew Hancock’s feature film debut, is a corker that confidently straddles genres and finds a way to get grisly about romance that doesn’t involve a woman being sexually assaulted on screen. That’s right, at least at the time of this writing, it is not legally required to include graphic, gendered abuse in a film that hyperbolically sensationalizes “the problem with dudes these days.”
In the literal first few moments of the movie, Iris (Sophie Thatcher) lets you know that she killed Josh (Jack Quaid), her boyfriend and general dingus. That’s right, this is a whydunit, not a whodunit, and maybe a bit of a howdunit. The dunit involves a Russian billionaire named Sergey (Rupert Friend), a seemingly sweet couple named Eli (Harvey Guillén) and Patrick (Lukas Gage), and Josh’s alleged gal pal Kat (Megan Suri). The use of “seemingly” and “alleged” is about as far as can be revealed without entering full spoiler territory.
In fact, my wholly made-up code of ethics prohibits me from revealing things that aren’t in the trailer. So I can’t tell you why Iris sticks her arm into an open flame until it catches on fire (which is in the preview, I promise), I can only tell you that the film shows its cards right away. This isn’t one of those annoying “the audience is so stupid they’ll never figure out this incredibly obvious twist” movies. That’s right, this is my second Strange Darling shot here, and third this week if you count a podcast that dropped.
It also isn’t one of those genre films that aspires to be “elevated.” The biggest and best thing that Hancock gets right is the sticky-icky-tricky tone. It’s clever, but not conceited. It’s funny, but not full comedy. It’s gross, but not perverted. It occupies that liminal space between so many delightful categories, and does so flawlessly. That’s right, I’m one of those unlikeable people who uses the word “liminal.”
Also flawless: Thatcher. A shocking amount depends on her icy stare, quivering lip, and inherent charisma. The nature of her character (which I can’t reveal, as per my trailer commandment) could have been restrictive, but her performance is graceful and free. Quaid deserves praise too, at least for his willingness to leverage his nepo-babyhood in roles where he is often chided, mocked, or murdered. That’s right, nepobabies can use their powers for good. Well, they can use them for amusement at least. Guillén and Gage are also endearing, so much so that my biggest complaint is the uncertainty with one of their fates.
Companion doesn’t have some wildly novel, unique insight into the framework of masculine fragility and the entitlement of men when it comes to romance. It also doesn’t pretend to have that. From its crisp cinematography (by Eli Born) to its expressive costume design (by Vanessa Porter) to its saucy playfulness, it is a breezy speculative fiction romp. Hancock was recently named to Variety’s list of 2025 Directors to Watch. Way ahead of you, Variety! He was also just revealed to be leading a remake of 1998’s The Faculty. I didn’t know that, Variety! A suggestion: make it a nostalgic period piece still set in the 90s! That’s right, because Hancock is an Omahan, I feel entitled to tell him my unsolicited advice!
To be (marginally) serious for a moment, Companion is a crackerjack delight. I can’t imagine who would have a bad time with this. No, wait, I can. And it actually makes me like it more.
Grade = A-
Other Critical Voices to Consider
Amanda Mazzillo at Film Joy says “Companion thrives with its feminist commentary about the way men try to control women while still playing the victim, but it never feels heavy handed and only focused on its commentary. Companion succeeds as a darkly hilarious, blood-soaked, fun romp while still giving quality focus to its feminist themes.”
Emily Zemler at Observer says “Best of all, Companion is fun. The onscreen scares are light, but what lingers is more frightening.”
Nadine Whitney at the Alliance of Women Film Journalists says “Companion strikes at the heart, or another major artery, of misogyny employing a genre mash-up that’s rollicking, bloody, and prescient.”