We present a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate the horror genre: Sit down with your partner and view Together. This 2025 indie hit recently had its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. On the surface, it may seem like typical body horror, but beneath Together lies a profound examination about the ways we decide to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Delving into Partnership Complexities
Together represents the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for a decade. Having wed in real life in 2017, the actors bring a unique chemistry to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The story commences when Millie and Tim transition from the big city to the rural area for professional reasons. A familiar story element, of course, but that’s largely where the tropes end. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists tumble into an underground cave. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a strange force begins influencing the pair. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying horror experience, weaving in elements of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes amidst something disturbing). The director orchestrates these parts seamlessly and wraps them up in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is waning due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Tim, on the other hand senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and distant from his social circle. He is terrified of the notion of totally forfeiting his sense of self in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie avoids making Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie grapple with the kind of problems that are inherent in long-term unions over a long period. At their core, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these concerns of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the allegory avoids being overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a strong argument for staying single. Meanwhile, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could act as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the ending inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your significant other and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can undertake right now.
Together is currently playing on Hulu as of this moment.
