Here's a test for partners in committed relationships who enjoy the horror genre: Settle in with your partner and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut via Hulu. At first glance, it could look like typical body horror, but within Together lies a intense contemplation about how we choose to love one another.
An Introductory Film Delving into Partnership Complexities
Together is the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have been together for a decade. Married in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a special spark to their roles, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The plot begins when Tim and Millie relocate from the big city to the rural area for Millie’s job. A familiar plot device, of course, but that’s mostly where the cliches cease. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After spending the night there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence takes hold of the duo. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past simple connection.
The whole movie is a methodically building horror experience, interspersing elements of dreamlike terrors, gross (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and delivers them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A great deal of Together is only the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the concept of completely losing his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he avoids making Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Both characters confront the sort of issues that arise in long-term unions after ten years. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to another person, the allegory never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that single viewers have seen the movie as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, some couples having disagreements found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could function as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion inspire anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your partner and say, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an exploration you can experience at this very moment.
Together is streaming on Hulu at present.
