Here's a test for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of scary movies: Sit down with your loved one and stream Together. This 2025 indie hit recently had its streaming debut via Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like conventional physical horror, but within Together exists a profound examination about our choices in loving each other.
An Introductory Film Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, partners that have remained a couple for a decade. Having wed in real life in 2017, the two stars bring a particular energy to their characters, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The plot commences when Tim and Millie relocate from the urban environment to the countryside for Millie’s job. A commonly used narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the conventions cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the two tumble into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity begins influencing the couple. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The whole movie is a methodically building fright fest, blending bits of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes amidst something grotesque). The director orchestrates these parts seamlessly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his failing musical ambitions inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and removed from his network of friends. He fears the concept of completely losing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect in Together never makes either of his characters the obvious villain.
Both characters grapple with the sort of issues that arise in any relationship over a long period. At their core, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to another person, the symbolism does not come across as clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have understood the narrative as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Conversely, some couples who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your other half and say, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform at present.
