Consider this a dare for long-term couples who enjoy scary movies: Sit down with your loved one and view Together. This 2025 indie hit has now made its online premiere on Hulu. Outwardly, it might appear like typical physical horror, but within Together lies a profound contemplation about our choices in loving each other.
A Debut Feature Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have been together for ten years. Married in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a special spark to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The plot begins when the couple move from the urban environment to the countryside for her career. A commonly used plot device, of course, but that’s largely where the tropes conclude. 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 Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity takes hold of the couple. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past simple connection.
The whole movie is a methodically building fright fest, interspersing bits of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but never too gross) body horror, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes during something disturbing). Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and wraps them up in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and distant from his network of friends. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is intensified by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in Together never makes either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Both characters face the kind of problems that are inherent in any relationship a decade in. Deep down, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, offer support, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their bond.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to a partner, the metaphor avoids being hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a compelling reason for staying single. On the other hand, certain partners who were in conflict found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could act as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your significant other and state, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an exploration you can experience at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu now.
