We present a dare for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate the horror genre: Settle in with your partner and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut via Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like conventional biological terror, but within Together exists a intense examination about how we choose to love one another.
A Debut Feature Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have been together for over ten years. United in marriage in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a particular energy to their characters, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The story commences when Tim and Millie move from the urban environment to the countryside for professional reasons. A familiar story element, sure, but that’s mostly where the conventions conclude. Together evolves into as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their new home, a storm hits, and the protagonists tumble into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity starts to affect the couple. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a methodically building of scares, blending bits of dreamlike terrors, gross (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes amidst something horrific). The director weaves these elements together neatly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and removed from his social circle. He fears the idea of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he can’t drive and needs Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together refrains from painting one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie face the kind of problems that are inherent in most partnerships after ten years. At their core, they have affection for one another. They still laugh together, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of codependency and fully committing to another person, the allegory never feels hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama work together symbiotically.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, some couples having disagreements found that the film actually helped them make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the finale plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply look at your partner and state, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can undertake today.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
