Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who appreciate horror films: Settle in with your loved one and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. Outwardly, it might appear like standard body horror, but inside Together resides a profound contemplation about our choices in loving our partners.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together marks the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have been together for a decade. Married in actuality in 2017, the two stars infuse a special spark to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The story begins when Millie and Tim transition from the urban environment to the rural area for her career. A commonly used plot device, of course, but that’s largely where the cliches cease. Together evolves into as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their country house, a storm hits, and the two tumble into an subterranean cavern. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity starts to affect the couple. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The whole movie is a slow burn fright fest, blending elements of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes amidst something disturbing). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts expertly and presents them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is only the two lead actors, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and far away from his support system. He dreads the notion of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie never makes one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
The couple grapple with the kind of problems that are inherent in any relationship over a long period. At their core, they have affection for one another. They still laugh together, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to another person, the symbolism never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights work together in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the finale plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your partner and say, “We could get through that together”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can undertake right now.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform at present.
