Companion - Movie Review

In the novel ‘Companion’ the storyline forms around a billionaire and after his death, that propels Iris and her friends into a series of events that they never imagined when they just intended to have a weekend party at their friend’s beautiful house at the lake. The film skillfully constructs a solid plot that would not let the spectators get bored, providing them with many twists and turns, while depicting the essence and moral compass of the main characters in detail.

Sublime the film ‘Companion’ is a brilliant example of combining elements of the suspenseful drama and the dark comedy that seems to be the inherent feature of the Студио. There are motifs of gred, betrayal as well as the images of behind which are presented everywhere, so that the audience is able to immerse themselves. One gets the impression of an always heightened state where tension swings between focus on the thriller plot coupled with elements of sardonic humor, which gives the movie a voice that differentiates it from most of the thrillers.

Sophie Thatcher is both talented and beautiful and brings out a credible and believable performance as the protagonist of the film. What she brings as Iris is intriguing and layered, which goes to show that she is an interesting personality to viewers. It must be said that Jack Quaid and Rupert Friend give a more than sufficient support to the film providing remarkable acting and adding layers to the movie. The chemistry among the casts contributes to the solid ensemble and their relations are realistic and fascinating at the same time.

In the version of Drew Hancock, ‘Companion’ is a confident multi genre explored movie. Hancock’s direction is domineering and employment of such locations, along with complex plot as a means of suspense, as well as comedy tinged with darkness. The use of suspense and at times humor in the film is impressive elaborated by the fact that the two do not interfere with the overall view of the film.

The use of soundtrack in the ‘Companion’ is fitting and apt to changes in moods. The music nicely complements emotion and narrates tension along with the ironical sense of humor, delivering an atmospheric experience, which fits the film’s plot to the T.

Drew Hancock, a cinematographer, provides a stunning view of the depiction of the lake-front mansion which provides the atmosphere of tranquility that is disrupted by the chaotic events in the movie. It applies the combination of shadowy and bright scenes, which strengthen the thematic and emotional messages of the movie.

The look and feel of ‘Companion’ is very well done, especially the interior of the billionaire’s mansion is designed in very much detail. The use of settings as a prop is well felt in every sequence and does not only support the development of the story’s stakes and characters’ choices but also adds to the overall aesthetic presentation.

For the aspect of special effects, ’Companion’ does not overindulge in them but instead uses them strategically with emphasis on utilizing them when necessary to give the much-needed boost to major scenes. Subtlety in the use of there enforces the atmospheric build of the thriller.

The editing of ‘Companion’ does not allow the story to bog down, instead, it sustains the tension of the thriller. Authors skillfully wove shifts from one black comedy scene to the other while smoothly transitioning to suspense-filled sequences.

The movie does a good job of always keeping the viewers interested from the beginning of the film up to the ending credits. The pacing of the film is excellent to tackle with the exciting suspense aside from the lighter moments of comedy, to be resonably engaging to the viewers.

Another key aspect is that the dialogue in ‘Companion’ is smart and funny mixes the type of humor that is usual for the films from the ‘black comedy’ subgenre. It really does establish suspense and also creates character relationships while giving a much-needed comedic aspect through all the banter.

Overall ‘Companion’ is a very ambitious show and sometimes it shows as there might be moments where more tension is traded for comedy even though it’s fine in moderation. Furthermore, I was rather disappointed in some of the events where, from the very plan of a given thriller, any viewer, especially one familiar with this genre, can forecast the certain scenes. All the same, the brilliant portrayal of characters and the film’s concept can be considered as a worthy reaction to mentioned drawbacks.

‘Companion’ is like watching an extreme psycho-thriller and thrilling black comedy where the situation lifts the audience on an absurd merry-go-round. The essence of the movie is to get its audience to engage with heavy ethical questions but at the same time to find humor in it. It is amazingly thought provoking and the best part is that it leaves you with something to chew on intellectually.