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| Images courtesy of Warner Bros. |
There are some light plot spoilers for the first act in this review.
Artificial intelligence has long fascinated filmmakers, but it has only been in the last few years that it has started to be integrated into daily life. Generative AI is used to "create" art, and chatbots like ChatGPT are used as personal helpers. In late 2024, a story broke in which a 14-year-old boy had cultivated a relationship with a chatbot modeled after the character Daenerys from the hit television show Game of Thrones. This was his final conversation with the AI before he shot himself:
“I promise I will come home to you. I love you so much, Dany,” he told the chatbot.
“I love you too,” the bot replied. “Please come home to me as soon as possible, my love.”
“What if I told you I could come home right now?” he asked.
“Please do, my sweet king,” the bot messaged back. [1]
Chatbots are digital-only entities confined to websites and apps, but what if they were put into human bodies? What kind of havoc would they cause if the digital barriers were removed and we could touch them and be in their physical presence?
Companion (2025) takes place in the near future, where AI has been incorporated into humanoid robots known as "companions." These companions can be male or female and can function from personal assistants all the way to lovers. The story follows a seemingly happy couple, demure and pleasant Iris (Sophie Thatcher) and her laid-back boyfriend Josh (Jack Quaid). They are taking a relaxing trip out to a lake house to meet up with some friends. However, a terrifying incident involving Iris and another guest at the house threatens to shatter her worldview and change her life and relationship with Josh forever.
The central theme of Companion is how the objectification of women and their forced gender roles make them indistinguishable in some eyes from automations that are programmed to do whatever an individual wants. Sex dolls aren't a new concept, and they range from clearly fake plastic blow-up dolls to sophisticated "Real Dolls" that physically, at least, look very close to real women. Men buy these dolls, dress them up, and, in some cases, even marry them. However, they have zero personalities and offer no kind of intellectual or emotional stimulation, just a form to be used sexually. At one point, Kat (Megan Suri), an acquaintance, expresses to Iris that these companions make her feel like she is easily replaceable because men aren't enticed by women who have body autonomy and only want something they can mold to their personal interests and control.
As the film progresses, it becomes apparent that Iris and Josh's relationship isn't an equal partnership. He views her as something that will pass the time until he can find a "real" woman. Although functionally, Iris is almost identical to a human woman, he feels that she is beneath him and that he deserves much more. It is telling how someone treats a person that they don't have an emotional connection to, and the casual cruelties that Josh inflicts on others are indicative of his true personality. Although the "nice guy" trope is a cliche at this point, it heavily factors in the plot's progression and the character arc for Iris.
Unfortunately, after a strong first act, Companion throws aside much of the social commentary and transforms into more of a thriller, with some dubious choices for plot twists. The dialogue is a bit underwritten as well, and there is a lot of heavy telegraphing and over-explanation that makes it feel as though the director wasn't completely confident in the audience's ability to figure things out for themselves. Sophie Thatcher is fantastic as Iris and carries much of the film on her back. Her slow progression from a naïve people-pleaser to a badass with a strong sense of self-preservation is compelling, though it shares some similarities with films like Ex Machina (2014). The direction is slick and serviceable, and the editing and pacing keep the plot moving briskly forward. There are also quick shots of dark humor, which keeps the tone from getting too grim.
While Companion flirts with more profound themes about love and objectification, it ultimately settles for thrills and entertainment.
--Michelle Kisner
[1]https://apnews.com/article/chatbot-ai-lawsuit-suicide-teen-artificial-intelligence-9d48adc572100822fdbc3c90d1456bd0