Consider this a dare for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy the horror genre: Settle in with your significant other and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its online premiere via Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like conventional physical horror, but beneath Together lies a deep contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together represents the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for a decade. Having wed in reality in 2017, the two stars infuse a unique chemistry to their roles, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The story starts when Tim and Millie transition from the metropolis to the countryside for her career. A commonly used narrative setup, of course, but that’s largely where the conventions cease. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the two tumble into an underground cave. After spending the night there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity begins influencing the couple. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The whole movie is a methodically building of scares, interspersing elements of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but never too gross) body horror, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes during something horrific). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and delivers them in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Complex Characterizations
A great deal of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, 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 emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his failing musical ambitions gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and distant from his support system. He dreads the concept of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie never makes one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie grapple with the sort of issues that arise in most partnerships a decade in. Fundamentally, they still love one another. They share moments of joy, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights serve the 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. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, certain partners who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could potentially serve as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply look at your other half and state, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is streaming on Hulu as of this moment.
