Consider this a test for long-term couples who appreciate scary movies: Sit down with your loved one and stream Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie recently had its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it could look like typical body horror, but beneath Together lies a profound meditation about our choices in loving our partners.
An Introductory Film Delving into Partnership Complexities
Together marks the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for a decade. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the actors contribute a unique chemistry to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The plot begins when Millie and Tim transition from the metropolis to the countryside for her career. A commonly used plot device, sure, but that’s largely where the tropes cease. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and Millie and Tim tumble into an subterranean cavern. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity takes hold of the duo. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a slow burn horror experience, weaving in elements of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). The director skillfully blends these components expertly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling atmosphere of fear.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and far away from his network of friends. He dreads the notion of completely losing his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is amplified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he never makes one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Both characters grapple with the type of challenges that come with any relationship a decade in. Deep down, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, offer support, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these fears of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the symbolism does not come across as hamfisted or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. Conversely, some couples who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion plant anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your significant other and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
