Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who enjoy horror films: Get comfortable with your partner and watch Together. The independent film success of 2025 recently had its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it may seem like typical physical horror, but beneath Together exists a intense meditation about how we choose to love each other.
A Debut Feature Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together is the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for ten years. Married in reality in 2017, the actors contribute a unique chemistry to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The plot begins when Tim and Millie move from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A commonly used narrative setup, sure, but that’s mostly where the cliches conclude. Together transforms into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their country house, a storm hits, and the two tumble into an subterranean cavern. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a strange force begins influencing the duo. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a methodically building of scares, interspersing bits of fever-dream horrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes during something grotesque). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and far away from his social circle. He dreads the notion of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision in Together never makes one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
The couple grapple with the type of challenges that come with most partnerships over a long period. Fundamentally, they have affection for each other. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these fears of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the symbolism avoids being overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that single viewers have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Conversely, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could function as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the finale inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your other half and utter, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can experience today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
