Day 7: Companion - Heart, Hardware, Horror.
Another day, another horror movie for me to dive into headfirst, or at least something close to it. Companion (2025) is a psychological thriller that starts off feeling like a quiet relationship drama before slowly revealing its darker layers. The film follows Josh (Jack Quaid) and Iris (Sophie Thatcher), a couple heading on a weekend trip with friends that takes a turn once secrets begin to surface. What seems at first like a story about love, trust, and human connection soon becomes something far more twisted. When it’s revealed that Iris is an android built to serve Josh’s desires, the film shifts its focus to questions of control, manipulation, and how easily emotions can be manufactured, or exploited.
The movie kicks off with Iris (Sophie Thatcher) at a grocery store where she meets Josh (Jack Quaid) after he accidentally knocks over a pile of oranges. She finds the moment cute, and it ends up being one of the few memories in her life that actually feels special. At first, it seems like a sign of how much she loves him, but later we find out that Josh created the memory himself and called it a “meet cute.” The two head off to a weekend getaway at Sergey’s (Rupert Friend) fancy lake house with their friends Kat (Megan Suri), Eli (Harvey Guillén), and Patrick (Lukas Gage). What’s supposed to be a chill hangout is really part of Josh’s plan to steal Sergey’s money. When Sergey assaults Iris, her messed-up programming makes her kill him, and that’s when things really start to spiral.
From there, we learn that Josh isn’t the sweet, slightly awkward guy we thought he was. He’s been pulling the strings the entire time, using Iris as part of his plan to rob Sergey and disappear with the money. Every “memory” she has of their relationship was programmed by him, which makes their entire romance feel twisted once you realize it was never real. That’s kind of the hook of the movie, it’s about control, manipulation, and how far people will go to play god when technology gives them the chance.
Once Iris figures out Josh has been running the show, she finally takes matters into her own hands. She breaks free, outsmarts him, and starts calling the shots for herself. Meanwhile, Patrick, the other companion bot, is caught in the middle, first controlled by Eli and then by Josh after Iris kills Eli, which adds another layer of tension as he becomes a tool in Josh’s twisted plan. Even in the chaos, there are surprisingly emotional moments, like Patrick processing his feelings for Eli before being forced into the conflict.
Iris uses her growing intelligence and quick thinking to stay one step ahead of Josh, turning the tables on him and finally taking control. By the end, she fully reclaims her autonomy, escapes the carnage, and walks away with Sergey’s fortune. The movie is a fun and clever ride that blends suspense, dark humor, and robot drama, with enough twists and surprises to keep you hooked from start to finish.
Companions might not be traditional horror, but I still felt it was worth including in my 31 days of horror series. Iris’s journey to reclaim her autonomy makes it a satisfying watch, even if the scares aren’t the main draw.