Consider this a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of the horror genre: Get comfortable with your partner and watch Together. This independent film success of 2025 recently had its online premiere via Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like typical physical horror, but beneath Together exists a intense examination about how we choose to love each other.
A Debut Feature Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together marks the first full-length movie for director 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 reality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their characters, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The plot begins when Tim and Millie relocate from the metropolis to the country for Millie’s job. A commonly used narrative setup, sure, but that’s mostly where the cliches end. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the partnership as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their new home, a storm hits, and the two discover an underground cave. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence takes hold of the duo. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The whole movie is a slow burn fright fest, interspersing moments of fever-dream horrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) body horror, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Complex Characterizations
A great deal of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and far away from his support system. He fears the idea of completely losing his individual identity in Millie. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he can’t drive and needs Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together never makes Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
The couple grapple with the kind of problems that come with most partnerships after ten years. At their core, they still love each other. They still laugh together, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to a partner, the metaphor avoids being clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that single viewers have interpreted the film as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could potentially serve as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your significant other and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can experience right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu at present.
