Here's a challenge for partners in committed relationships who are fans of horror films: Sit down with your partner and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit recently had its online premiere on Hulu. On the surface, it could look like standard biological terror, but beneath Together lies a profound examination about how we choose to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for over ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a particular energy to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The story begins when the couple relocate from the metropolis to the rural area for professional reasons. A commonly used plot device, admittedly, but that’s largely where the tropes cease. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the two tumble into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence takes hold of the duo. This force compels a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The entire film is a slow burn fright fest, interspersing moments of fever-dream horrors, gross (but tastefully done) body horror, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and delivers them in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his failing musical ambitions gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and removed from his social circle. He fears the notion of completely losing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is intensified by the fact he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie refrains from painting one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
The couple confront the kind of problems that are inherent in any relationship after ten years. Deep down, they still love one another. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their future together.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these concerns of codependency and fully committing to another person, the symbolism does not come across as overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for staying single. Meanwhile, some couples experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion plant anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your other half and say, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu now.
