Consider this a test for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy the horror genre: Settle in with your loved one and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut via Hulu. At first glance, it could look like conventional body horror, but inside Together exists a profound contemplation about our choices in loving each other.
A Directorial Debut Delving into Partnership Complexities
Together is the introductory feature for director 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 over ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, the two stars contribute a unique chemistry to their characters, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The story commences when Tim and Millie relocate from the big city to the country for her career. A commonly used plot device, admittedly, but that’s largely where the tropes cease. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a strange force takes hold of the couple. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past simple connection.
The complete narrative is a slow burn horror experience, weaving in moments of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but never too gross) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes amidst something grotesque). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve relocated rural and distant from his social circle. He is terrified of the notion of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he can’t drive and needs Millie for mobility.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he avoids making either of his characters the clear bad guy.
The couple confront the type of challenges that come with any relationship a decade in. Fundamentally, they still love one another. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these fears of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to a partner, the metaphor avoids being overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the supernatural and the personal work together symbiotically.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. It has been said that single viewers have seen the movie as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Conversely, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could function as a telling indicator of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your significant other and utter, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on today.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu at present.
