Consider this a dare for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of the horror genre: Settle in with your significant other and watch Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its streaming debut via Hulu. Outwardly, it could look like standard body horror, but inside Together resides a profound contemplation about how we choose to love each other.
A Directorial Debut Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together is the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a special spark to their characters, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The story starts when the couple transition from the big city to the countryside for Millie’s job. A familiar narrative setup, of course, but that’s primarily where the tropes cease. Together transforms into as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their country house, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim fall into an underground cave. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence takes hold of the duo. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying fright fest, blending bits of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes amidst something disturbing). The director skillfully blends these components seamlessly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and far away from his support system. He dreads the concept of completely losing his sense of self in another person. This fear is intensified by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in Together never makes either of his characters the clear bad guy.
Both characters grapple with the kind of problems that arise in most partnerships after ten years. Fundamentally, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, offer support, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to another person, the metaphor does not come across as overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, some couples having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could act as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the finale inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your partner and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can experience today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu at present.
