Consider this a test for partners in committed relationships who appreciate horror films: Get comfortable with your significant other and view Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. Outwardly, it might appear like typical biological terror, but within Together resides a profound examination about the ways we decide to love each other.
An Introductory Film Delving into The Nuances of Love
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 remained a couple for ten years. Having wed in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their roles, 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 rural area for Millie’s job. A familiar plot device, admittedly, but that’s largely where the cliches conclude. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their new home, a storm hits, and the protagonists fall into an underground cave. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a strange force begins influencing the couple. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The entire film is a slow burn horror experience, weaving in bits of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) body horror, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes amidst something disturbing). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and wraps them up in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and distant from his network of friends. He is terrified of the notion of totally forfeiting his sense of self in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision is that he never makes either of his characters the obvious villain.
Both characters confront the type of challenges that are inherent in long-term unions over a long period. Deep down, they continue to care for each other. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory does not come across as overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama serve the other in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for staying single. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could act as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the finale sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply turn to your significant other and say, “We could get through that together”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu now.
