Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who are fans of the horror genre: Settle in with your significant other and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit recently had its streaming debut on Hulu. Outwardly, it may seem like standard biological terror, but within Together resides a deep contemplation about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Directorial Debut Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together represents the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for a decade. Married in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a unique chemistry to their roles, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The plot begins when the couple move from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A familiar narrative setup, of course, but that’s primarily where the conventions conclude. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration 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 Millie and Tim discover an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence begins influencing the pair. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying of scares, weaving in bits of dreamlike terrors, gross (but not excessively graphic) body horror, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes during something disturbing). The director weaves these elements together neatly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Complex Characterizations
A large part of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is waning due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and far away from his network of friends. He is terrified of the idea of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together never makes Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie grapple with the type of challenges that arise in any relationship a decade in. At their core, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their bond.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the metaphor never feels clumsy or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama work together symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for staying single. On the other hand, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could function as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the finale inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply turn to your other half and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can undertake today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform now.
