We present a dare for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy scary movies: Settle in with your partner and view Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut on Hulu. At first glance, it could look like conventional physical horror, but beneath Together lies a intense meditation about how we choose to love each other.
An Introductory Film Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together is the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have stayed together for ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a particular energy to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The narrative begins when Millie and Tim relocate from the metropolis to the countryside for her career. A commonly used story element, admittedly, but that’s primarily where the cliches end. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their rural residence, a tempest descends, and the two fall into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence begins influencing the duo. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying fright fest, blending elements of fever-dream horrors, gross (but never too gross) physical transformations, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes amidst something horrific). The director orchestrates these parts expertly and presents them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his failing musical ambitions inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and distant from his network of friends. He is terrified of the notion of completely losing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is amplified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in Together refrains from painting either of his characters the definite antagonist.
The couple face the sort of issues that come with most partnerships after ten years. At their core, they have affection for one another. They share moments of joy, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to another person, the metaphor never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have seen the movie as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, certain partners having disagreements found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the ending plant anxiety and horror, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply look at your partner and state, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu now.
