Here's a test for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy horror films: Settle in with your loved one and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit recently had its online premiere via Hulu. Outwardly, it might appear like standard body horror, but within Together resides a intense contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together is the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for ten years. Married in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a particular energy to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The plot begins when Tim and Millie transition from the urban environment to the country for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, sure, but that’s mostly where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the two tumble into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence starts to affect the pair. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a slow burn fright fest, blending moments of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) body horror, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and presents them in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his failing musical ambitions inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and distant from his network of friends. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie refrains from painting Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie grapple with the type of challenges that come with any relationship a decade in. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They still laugh together, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these fears of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to a partner, the metaphor avoids being clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a perfect parallel to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Conversely, some couples who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could act as a telling indicator of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply turn to your significant other and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can undertake right now.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu at present.
