Writer-director Drew Hancock’s Companion opens with the kind of supermarket meet cute that would be at home in a Hallmark movie. For the next 90 or so minutes, however, this prickly robo-romance delectably slices up its lovey-dovey dynamic, broaching themes of artificial consciousness, the commodification of female bodies, and covert misogyny in a witty, acerbic manner. While Hancock’s film never pushes the envelope of its sub-genre—operating a cut below influences like Blade Runner, Ex Machina, Her, and Terminator—its campy satire is sharp enough to leave an impact. After one satisfying twist after another, Companion makes obedient automatons of us all, as we become mercilessly glued to each dark, laugh-out-loud moment.

After the too-good-to-be-true rendezvous, Josh (Jack Quaid) and Iris (Sophie Thatcher, portrayed in the spitting image of a porcelain doll) settle into a schmaltzy relationship. Though, an imbalance in their dynamic looms, as Josh passive-aggressively dangles his toxic masculinity while Iris appears desperate to satisfy him. So much so that she doesn’t even bat an eye when he ignores her after sex, simply muttering “Iris, go to sleep.” It’s one of many cold-hearted demands she happily gives into, because, after all, Josh is a “nice guy.”

Companion transitions into a full-blown chamber piece as the couple arrive at a gorgeous, remote estate for a weekend getaway. They’re greeted by the home’s slimy and uncouth owner, Sergey (Rupert Friend), a Russian “businessman” whose mullet-mustache combo and cartoonish accent feel ripped straight from an ‘80s direct-to-video action flick. Josh’s friend, Kat (Megan Suri), has no qualms about being Sergey’s sidepiece and isn’t afraid to voice her contempt for Iris, peculiarly noting “you make me feel so replaceable.” Josh’s other buddy, Eli, is far more hospitable and head-over-heels for his longtime boyfriend Patrick (Lukas Gage)—whose perfect, clean-cut aura is equal parts inviting and unsettling.

From there, welcoming embraces quickly turn bloody, as the true motivations behind the retreat and even more shocking identities are meticulously revealed. Running a tight 97 minutes, Hancock wastes little time in placing audiences on a hair-trigger of suspense and dread, set to go off at pitch-perfect increments. For what it lacks in visual and aesthetic depth, Companion makes up for with a deliciously twisted sense of dark humour. Full of great cutaway gags and gut-busting one-liners (“Isn’t there a ‘find my fuckbot app’ we can use?”), Hancock’s thriller relishes each opportunity to play its audience like a warped fiddle.

Yet, it’s the central performances that bring Hancock’s premise to life. After stellar work in Heretic and Yellowjackets, Thatcher adds another notch in her belt of great turns in discomforting works, towing an arresting line between docile and defiant, sweet-talking and sharp-witted. Quaid’s casting works twofold, as a real-life “Nepo Baby” playing a privileged male who feels the world is rigged against him. While January is often a dumping ground for awful movies, Companion arrives as a smart surprise that’s not only immensely entertaining but a reflection of our worst tendencies. While Iris may be designed to be the perfect girlfriend, men like Josh are often too easily hardwired to be manipulative and exploitative.

Companion is in theatres on Jan. 31