Consider this a dare for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy horror films: Get comfortable with your partner and watch Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. At first glance, it might appear like standard physical horror, but inside Together resides a profound contemplation about our choices in loving each other.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, partners that have remained a couple for ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, the two stars bring a unique chemistry to their roles, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The story begins when Tim and Millie transition from the big city to the countryside for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the tropes conclude. Together transforms into as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the two fall into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a mysterious influence starts to affect the duo. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying horror experience, blending elements of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but never too gross) physical transformations, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes during something disturbing). The director weaves these elements together seamlessly and wraps them up in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and distant from his network of friends. He dreads the notion of completely losing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is amplified by the reality he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he never makes either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie grapple with the sort of issues that are inherent in most partnerships a decade in. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these anxieties of codependency and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the allegory never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that single viewers have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, some couples who were in conflict found that the film ended up guiding them to resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could function as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the finale sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply turn to your other half and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on right now.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
