We present a dare for partners in committed relationships who are fans of horror films: Settle in with your loved one and view Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. On the surface, it could look like conventional body horror, but beneath Together resides a intense meditation about our choices in loving our partners.
An Introductory Film Delving into Partnership Complexities
Together marks the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It showcases actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, partners that have remained a couple for a decade. Having wed in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a unique chemistry to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The plot begins when the couple move from the metropolis to the countryside for her career. A commonly used story element, of course, but that’s mostly where the tropes end. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their new home, a storm hits, and the protagonists tumble into an subterranean cavern. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a strange force starts to affect the duo. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a methodically building of scares, weaving in elements of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but never too gross) physical transformations, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and wraps them up in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and distant from his support system. He is terrified of the notion of completely losing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he can’t drive and relies on Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he avoids making one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie confront the kind of problems that are inherent in any relationship over a long period. Deep down, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory never feels overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights serve the other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, certain partners who were in conflict found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your partner and say, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can experience at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu at present.
