We present a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate horror films: Settle in with your loved one and stream Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie recently had its streaming debut via Hulu. Outwardly, it could look like typical body horror, but beneath Together exists a profound meditation about our choices in loving each other.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together is the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have been together for ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a particular energy to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The plot commences when Tim and Millie transition from the metropolis to the rural area for her career. A commonly used plot device, sure, but that’s mostly where the cliches end. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the two fall into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence takes hold of the couple. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a methodically building of scares, interspersing moments of dreamlike terrors, gross (but never too gross) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes amidst something grotesque). The director weaves these elements together neatly and wraps them up in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career inexorably rises.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and far away from his network of friends. He dreads the idea 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 mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he refrains from painting one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
The couple face the type of challenges that come with most partnerships over a long period. Fundamentally, they still love one another. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these concerns of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to another person, the allegory never feels hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal work together symbiotically.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. It has been said that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, a few pairs who were in conflict 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 revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your other half and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can experience right now.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
