Consider this a dare for long-term couples who enjoy scary movies: Get comfortable with your partner and watch Together. This 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut via Hulu. At first glance, it could look like standard physical horror, but inside Together lies a deep meditation about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Debut Feature Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have stayed together for over ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their characters, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The story commences when Millie and Tim relocate from the metropolis to the country for her career. A familiar narrative setup, of course, but that’s mostly where the cliches conclude. Together becomes 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 new home, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists tumble into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity starts to affect the duo. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The entire film is a slow burn horror experience, weaving in elements of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes amidst something grotesque). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and delivers them in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they deftly portray countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is waning due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and removed from his social circle. He is terrified of the idea of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is intensified by the fact he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together never makes either of his characters the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie confront the type of challenges that come with any relationship a decade in. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these fears of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to a partner, the symbolism never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Conversely, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could function as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the finale sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your significant other and utter, “We could get through that together”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can experience at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu now.
