Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who appreciate the horror genre: Get comfortable with your significant other and view Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. On the surface, it could look like typical physical horror, but beneath Together resides a profound examination about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Debut Feature Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together is the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for over ten years. Having wed in reality in 2017, the two stars bring a special spark to their roles, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The narrative commences when Millie and Tim relocate from the big city to the countryside for her career. A familiar plot device, of course, but that’s largely where the conventions end. Together transforms into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the two fall into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity starts to affect the couple. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The whole movie is a slow burn of scares, interspersing moments of dreamlike terrors, gross (but never too gross) physical transformations, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes amidst something disturbing). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and wraps them up in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his failing musical ambitions inexorably rises.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve relocated rural and removed from his support system. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is amplified by the fact he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he never makes either of his characters the obvious villain.
Both characters grapple with the kind of problems that come with any relationship a decade in. At their core, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to another person, the allegory avoids being overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that unattached audience members have seen the movie as a strong argument for remaining unattached. On the other hand, some couples having disagreements found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could function as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the finale plant anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply look at your other half and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu at present.
