Casey Affleck's film Company, his third directorial project, weaves together several interconnected stories that span different time periods and locations. The film opens with a mysterious stranger arriving on a dark winter night, setting the tone for a narrative that moves between eras, including December 1975, 1953, 1903, and even Europe during the final days of the plague. These stories are connected by themes of isolation, loss, and hidden dangers, and they feature a range of characters, including Nick Nolte as a reclusive man haunted by the memory of his lost daughter, and Ben Mendelsohn as a gruff farmer prone to violence. Both are believed to face violent fates, adding to the film’s ominous atmosphere. At the heart of Company is a story set in the Rocky Mountains at the turn of the 20th century. It follows Adelaide Clemens and Scoot McNairy as Rebecca and Emmett, a farming couple who discover a teenage boy named Caleb lying in the snow. Played by Affleck’s youngest son, Atticus Affleck, Caleb claims to be much older than he appears and to have traveled extensively. Rebecca begins to suspect Caleb may be involved in a series of local murders, but his cryptic remarks do little to dissuade her. Caleb describes the world as "tall grass" with hidden dangers, a phrase that echoes throughout the film and hints at the lurking threats in the characters' lives. Affleck co-wrote Company with Ron Hansen, the author of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, a novel adapted into a 2007 film in which Affleck previously starred. In that film, he played Robert Ford, a character whose intentions toward his idol, Jesse James, were left ambiguous. Similarly, Caleb in Company exhibits an enigmatic nature, settling into the farm without urgency to leave. Whether he is a man seeking work in the mountains or a supernatural being from the backwoods remains unclear, adding to the film's sense of mystery. Affleck’s career has had both triumphs, such as his Oscar win for Manchester by the Sea, and challenges, including past allegations of sexual harassment. These experiences may subtly influence Company, which occasionally explores themes of men wronged and not believed by their peers. For example, the hermit’s wife was killed by a physician, and Emmett witnessed his father’s murder by a powerful landowner—both hinting at injustice. However, these elements are seen as somewhat secondary to the film’s central narrative. Company is more compelling when it returns to its American Gothic roots, a genre that Affleck clearly enjoys. Though the film may not fully coalesce, it offers a compelling, atmospheric experience filled with danger, mystery, and a sense of the unknown.