We present a dare for partners in committed relationships who enjoy horror films: Settle in with your partner and watch Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. At first glance, it could look like standard body horror, but inside Together exists a intense meditation about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Directorial Debut Delving into Partnership Complexities
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have remained a couple for a decade. Married in actuality in 2017, the actors bring a special spark to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The story commences when Millie and Tim relocate from the metropolis to the countryside for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, admittedly, but that’s primarily where the cliches cease. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the two tumble into an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a strange force starts to affect the pair. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past simple connection.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying horror experience, interspersing elements of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but never too gross) physical transformations, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components expertly and delivers them in a slowly mounting sense of impending doom.
Complex Characterizations
A great deal of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, 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 unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his failing musical ambitions inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and distant from his network of friends. He is terrified of the concept of completely losing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is intensified by the reality he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he never makes either of his characters the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie confront the type of challenges that arise in any relationship over a long period. At their core, they continue to care for each other. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these concerns of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to another person, the symbolism does not come across as clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these visceral horror elements present a perfect parallel to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members 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 response could function as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the ending inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply look at your other half and state, “We could get through that together”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can experience at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on Hulu now.
