We present a challenge for long-term couples who enjoy scary movies: Sit down with your significant other and view Together. This 2025 indie hit has now made its online premiere via Hulu. Outwardly, it might appear like typical body horror, but beneath Together lies a profound contemplation about how we choose to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for over ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a special spark to their characters, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The narrative starts when the couple move from the urban environment to the countryside for professional reasons. A familiar narrative setup, of course, but that’s mostly where the cliches cease. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the two fall into an underground cave. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a strange force starts to affect the couple. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The complete narrative is a slow burn fright fest, weaving in bits of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but never too gross) body horror, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Shanks skillfully blends these components neatly and presents them in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his floundering music career inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and removed from his network of friends. He fears the concept of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he avoids making Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
The couple confront the kind of problems that arise in most partnerships after ten years. Deep down, they have affection for each other. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these fears of codependency and fully committing to another person, the symbolism never feels overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal work together symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a powerful case for staying single. Meanwhile, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could act as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion plant anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your other half and state, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform now.
