We present a test for partners in committed relationships who enjoy horror films: Sit down with your partner and view Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its online premiere on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it may seem like standard physical horror, but inside Together resides a deep contemplation about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Debut Feature Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together represents the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple 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 real life in 2017, the actors infuse a unique chemistry to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The plot commences when the couple move from the metropolis to the country for her career. A familiar narrative setup, of course, but that’s largely where the cliches conclude. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their rural residence, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim fall into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity begins influencing the duo. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a methodically building horror experience, weaving in moments of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but never too gross) body horror, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes during something horrific). The director skillfully blends these components expertly and delivers them in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A great deal of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is suffering due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and distant from his network of friends. He is terrified of the notion of completely losing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he never makes one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie confront the type of challenges that arise in any relationship over a long period. Deep down, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these concerns of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to another person, the metaphor never feels overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that single viewers have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Conversely, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could act as a telling indicator of how you perceive partnership. Will the finale sow anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your other half and say, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can experience at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu at present.
