Consider this a dare for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy scary movies: Settle in with your loved one and watch Together. This independent film success of 2025 recently had its streaming debut via Hulu. Outwardly, it may seem like typical body horror, but within Together lies a profound examination about how we choose to love each other.
A Debut Feature Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have been together for over ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, the two stars infuse a particular energy to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The narrative commences when Tim and Millie move from the big city to the country for Millie’s job. A commonly used narrative setup, of course, but that’s largely where the tropes cease. Together transforms into as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the protagonists fall into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a strange force takes hold of the pair. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a slow burn fright fest, weaving in moments of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but never too gross) physical transformations, and genuinely funny exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A great deal of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his failing musical ambitions slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and distant from his support system. He is terrified of the idea of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie never makes one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Both characters grapple with the sort of issues that arise in long-term unions a decade in. At their core, they continue to care for each other. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to another person, the metaphor avoids being overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights work together in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have seen the movie as a compelling reason for staying single. Meanwhile, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film actually helped them make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could potentially serve as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion sow anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your partner and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu at present.
