We present a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy scary movies: Settle in with your partner and view Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. Outwardly, it might appear like typical body horror, but inside Together exists a profound examination about how we choose to love each other.
A Debut Feature Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have been together for over ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the actors infuse a special spark to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The plot begins when Tim and Millie relocate from the big city to the countryside for her career. A somewhat stereotypical story element, sure, but that’s largely where the tropes cease. Together evolves into as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their country house, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim fall into an subterranean cavern. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity begins influencing the pair. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The complete narrative is a methodically building horror experience, blending bits of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but never too gross) physical transformations, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes during something horrific). The director orchestrates these parts expertly and presents them in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is suffering due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve relocated rural and distant from his network of friends. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is amplified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision is that he refrains from painting either of his characters the definite antagonist.
The couple face the type of challenges that come with most partnerships a decade in. Deep down, they have affection for each other. They find humor with each other, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these concerns of codependency and totally devoting oneself to another person, the symbolism never feels hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that single viewers have interpreted the film as a powerful case for staying single. Conversely, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could act as a revealing measure 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 either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your partner and state, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can undertake today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform now.
