BeBuilder #2602
January 30, 2025
Sundance Review: ‘East of Wall’ is a Raw and Authentic Docu-Fiction Drama
January 31, 2025What makes us human? In the age of AI, the question is becoming more ambiguous. The soaring and cinematic answer is usually “love,” but if love can be coded then is it truly love? Writer and director Drew Hancock’s new movie Companion offers a different view. Maybe it’s something more akin to deceit? What if, instead of humanity being defined by the spirit of caring and kindness, it’s the ability to lie? What if the things that make us human are the ways we act inhumane?
The film stars Sophie Thatcher as Iris and Jack Quaid as Josh. Supporting the duo are Lukas Gage, Harvey Guillen and Megan Suri. Iris narrates about her first time meeting Josh and we’re taken to a bright and colorful supermarket with a mid-century feel. There’s something reminiscent of The Stepford Wives (1975, 2004) as Iris strolls down a grocery aisle and into produce where Josh tries unsuccessfully to pick an orange. This meet cute is when Iris experienced true love for the first time. Think Joanna Eberhart with a slight punk/ultra modern aesthetic. It’s ‘50s chic with an edge.
She and Josh are on their way to a secluded house surrounding a private lake. Sergei (Rupert Friend), the current lover and boytoy of Kat (Megan Suri) owns the land. Upon arrival, Iris frets over Josh’s friends not liking her, especially Kat. Josh assures her that Kat hates everyone and it’s proven by Kat’s chilly greeting at the door. She starts to soften though, especially after Sergei comes into view.
Joined by Eli (Guillen) and Patrick (Gage), the quintet sit down to a gourmet dinner courtesy of Patrick. Iris asks Patrick and Eli how they met and Patrick tells a story of him dressing up as Dracula for Halloween (in what might be a very sweet nod to Harvey Guillen’s show What We Do in the Shadows (2019). He was standing on Eli the dinosaur’s tail and when Eli removes his costume head, they lock eyes and the connection is instant.
The first night is a round of fun for the group, but the next morning brings tragedy. Sergei is dead and only Iris knows what truly happened. As the group figures out what to do next, secrets are revealed, motivations and deviations are unearthed and deceit, greed and bitterness reign supreme.
Drew Hancock is known for his work on the wonderful and gone-too-soon Suburgatory and My Dead Ex (2018). He seems to delight in the gleefully morbid, and it’s something that he’s honed well for his first full-length feature film. There’s a gaping hole where campy and queer horror should be, and movies like Companion take big swings to fill it.
Hancock has created the film where you can reveal the main conceit – that Iris is a “companion robot” (or an “emotional support robot that fucks” as Josh refers to her. It’s okay though, because the film isn’t based on keeping that idea a secret. The secrets – and there are many – are revealed throughout the film, each revelation causing a new moral conundrum that leaves the audience guessing while also yelling at the screen.
Sophie Thatcher has been on the rise for a while in roles like Natalie in Yellowjackets (2021) and Sister Barnes in Heretic (2024). She’s lithe and cool and on the right side of wan. She’s able to portray Iris as a woman who believes she’s human and why wouldn’t she? She is treated to a rude awakening due to the events that happen at the house, and Thatcher’s resilience and vulnerability earn the audience’s heart.
Jack Quaid on the other hand does a magnificent job of portraying Josh in all of his hypocrisies. So good that after his villainous turn in Scream (2022), I do worry that maybe he’s a bit too good at playing duplicitous boyfriends. Josh is sweet, kind and caring, and then has some of the worst and worrisome sex with Iris that was wildly uncomfortable and blessedly short. He appears to be kind, but we learn he can control everything about Iris, from her intelligence to her aggression. Whether it’s her eye color, the timber of her voice or even her devotion, he has complete control over her.
Meanwhile Suri portrays Kat as the mean girl all grown up. She’s curt, but she’s smart and she knows how to show her friends a good time. She’s a stoner that hasn’t quite learned to grow up, evidenced by her affair with Sergei that starts the whole thing off.
Guillen and Gage are a queer couple that add such an interesting storyline and point of view to the film. They broaden the discussion about humanity and the lengths we’ll go to for what we perceive is happiness.
The idea of artificial partners isn’t new. From a literal silicone life-sized real doll in Lars and the Real Girl (2007) to the disembodied intelligence of Her (2013), people have searched for a way to create friends, recreate family and even craft lovers. It’s an ethical dilemma for some – is it really free will if the companion is programmed to think a certain way? Does the companion feel love, or is it all they know? Iris is relentlessly devoted to Josh. But it’s Josh who needs the validation.
Josh’s brand of toxic masculinity is crazy yet somehow grounded and believable. He makes short term decisions and constantly gets in his own way, then he punishes those around him for it. Quaid’s ability to switch between cold and stoic and bright and emotional. It’s truly an unhinged performance in the best way. Guillen, Gage and Suri all contribute excitement to the thriller that keeps the audience engaged, and never knowing exactly who to root for.
The poster of the film says “a new kind of love story from the creators of Barbarian (2022), a film written and directed by Zach Cregger. Creggers team of himself, Roy Lee, Raphael Margules and J.D. Lifshitz acted as the producers of the film and having seen some of Barbarian, the influence is clear. I can’t say if it’s a good or bad thing. There’s something a bit off putting about a film completely helmed by men wherein the main character – a female android that can be seen as a “thing” – has acts of brutality and violence committed against her. I know that’s the point; It’s a very fine line and the film walks it well, but if I were to rewatch the film, these are the parts I would fast forward through.
Overall the film was very fun, very campy and exciting. I’m hoping to see more from Drew Hancock as he shows fearlessness when crafting his films. I do recommend seeing it for a great murder mystery, great performances and meaty conversation starters.
Movie Rating: 7.5/10