Consider this a dare for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of horror films: Settle in with your partner and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 recently had its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. Outwardly, it may seem like standard body horror, but within Together lies a profound examination about the ways we decide to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for over ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, the two stars infuse a unique chemistry to their roles, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The narrative commences when Tim and Millie transition from the big city to the country for her career. A familiar story element, of course, but that’s primarily where the tropes conclude. Together becomes 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 country house, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim fall into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence begins influencing the duo. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying of scares, interspersing moments of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes amidst something grotesque). Shanks skillfully blends these components expertly and delivers them in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and far away from his support system. He is terrified of the idea of completely losing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he refrains from painting one partner or the other the obvious villain.
The couple grapple with the sort of issues that arise in long-term unions over a long period. Fundamentally, they continue to care for one another. They still laugh together, provide solace, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together represent these fears of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory never feels hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other symbiotically.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has left audiences divided on the movie's final takeaway about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a powerful case for remaining unattached. Conversely, some couples who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could act as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion plant a sense of discomfort and fear, 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”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu at present.
