Here's a challenge for partners in committed relationships who are fans of scary movies: Settle in with your partner and watch Together. This 2025 indie hit just made its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like conventional physical horror, but beneath Together exists a intense contemplation about our choices in loving each other.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have remained a couple for over ten years. Married in real life in 2017, the actors bring a special spark to their characters, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The story commences when the couple move from the urban environment to the countryside for Millie’s job. A commonly used story element, of course, but that’s mostly where the conventions conclude. Together transforms into as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their country house, a storm hits, and the protagonists tumble into an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a mysterious influence starts to affect the couple. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The whole movie is a slow burn of scares, weaving in bits of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but never too gross) physical transformations, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes during something horrific). The director weaves these elements together neatly and wraps them up in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his floundering music career inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and removed from his network of friends. He is terrified of the notion of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie never makes either of his characters the clear bad guy.
The couple grapple with the sort of issues that arise in any relationship a decade in. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They still laugh together, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to another person, the symbolism avoids being clumsy or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements present a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have seen the movie as a powerful case for staying single. Meanwhile, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the ending plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your partner and state, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can undertake today.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu at present.
