We present a dare for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of horror films: Settle in with your partner and view Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. At first glance, it could look like typical body horror, but within Together resides a profound contemplation about our choices in loving our partners.
A Debut Feature Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together marks the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for over ten years. Having wed in actuality in 2017, the actors bring a unique chemistry to their characters, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The story starts when Tim and Millie transition from the urban environment to the countryside for Millie’s job. A commonly used narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s primarily where the conventions conclude. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists fall into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence starts to affect the pair. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying fright fest, weaving in moments of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes amidst something horrific). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components neatly and wraps them up in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Complex Characterizations
A large part of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the concept of totally forfeiting his individual identity in another person. This fear is amplified by the reality he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together never makes one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie face the type of challenges that arise in most partnerships over a long period. At their core, they continue to care for each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their future together.
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 allegory does not come across as clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that single viewers have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Conversely, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could act as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion inspire anxiety and horror, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your partner and say, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can undertake right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu now.
