Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who are fans of the horror genre: Get comfortable with your significant other and view Together. The 2025 indie hit recently had its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it may seem like standard physical horror, but beneath Together exists a intense meditation about how we choose to love each other.
A Debut Feature Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together is the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have stayed together for over ten years. Married in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a particular energy to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The plot starts when the couple move from the urban environment to the rural area for professional reasons. A familiar narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s largely where the conventions end. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists fall into an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a strange force takes hold of the duo. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a methodically building fright fest, weaving in moments of dreamlike terrors, gross (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes amidst something horrific). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and presents them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is only the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his floundering music career gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and distant from his support system. He fears the notion of totally forfeiting his individual identity in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie refrains from painting one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
The couple grapple with the sort of issues that come with any relationship over a long period. Fundamentally, they continue to care for one another. They still laugh together, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of excessive reliance and fully committing to another person, the metaphor never feels clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that single viewers have seen the movie as a powerful case for remaining unattached. On the other hand, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could act as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your other half and say, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can embark on today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu now.
