Here's a dare for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy scary movies: Sit down with your loved one and stream Together. This independent film success of 2025 recently had its online premiere via Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like typical body horror, but inside Together resides a intense meditation about our choices in loving each other.
A Debut Feature Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together is the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for over ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, the two stars infuse a special spark to their roles, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The narrative starts when Tim and Millie relocate from the big city to the country for her career. A familiar plot device, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the cliches end. Together transforms into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the protagonists discover an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a strange force takes hold of the pair. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a slow burn of scares, weaving in moments of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but never too gross) body horror, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and delivers them in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A great deal of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and distant from his social circle. He fears the concept of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is intensified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together never makes Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
The couple confront the kind of problems that come with long-term unions a decade in. At their core, they continue to care for one another. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to another person, the allegory never feels clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights work together in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which remains unspoiled, has left audiences divided on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have seen the movie as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Conversely, some couples having disagreements found that the film ultimately assisted them make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the ending inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply turn to your significant other and say, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu now.
