Consider this a dare for long-term couples who appreciate scary movies: Get comfortable with your significant other and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit recently had its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. At first glance, it could look like standard body horror, but inside Together exists a deep examination about the ways we decide to love one another.
An Introductory Film Delving into Partnership Complexities
Together is the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have been together for a decade. Having wed in real life in 2017, the two stars bring a unique chemistry to their characters, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The narrative begins when Tim and Millie transition from the metropolis to the rural area for her career. A commonly used plot device, of course, but that’s largely where the tropes end. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their rural residence, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim tumble into 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 well past simple connection.
The whole movie is a methodically building fright fest, interspersing elements of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes amidst something horrific). Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and delivers them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is suffering due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and distant from his social circle. He fears the idea of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie refrains from painting Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie confront the kind of problems that arise in most partnerships over a long period. At their core, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, offer support, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to another person, the symbolism does not come across as clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that single viewers have seen the movie as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could function as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply look at your partner and say, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can embark on today.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
