Consider this a test for partners in committed relationships who enjoy the horror genre: Settle in with your loved one and view Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its online premiere on Hulu. Outwardly, it may seem like conventional body horror, but within Together resides a profound contemplation about our choices in loving our partners.
A Directorial Debut Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for a decade. Having wed in reality in 2017, the actors contribute a unique chemistry to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a enduring union.
The narrative begins when the couple transition from the metropolis to the rural area for Millie’s job. A commonly used story element, admittedly, but that’s largely where the cliches conclude. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and Millie and Tim tumble into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a strange force begins influencing the duo. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a methodically building of scares, blending moments of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes during something grotesque). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and presents them in a gradually swelling atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is only the two lead actors, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his failing musical ambitions slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and distant from his social circle. He fears the notion of totally forfeiting his individual identity in another person. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together refrains from painting one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Both characters face the kind of problems that arise in long-term unions a decade in. At their core, they have affection for each other. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to another person, the allegory never feels clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, some couples who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could function as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the finale sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your other half and state, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can experience today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
