Consider this a dare for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy horror films: Sit down with your loved one and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut on Hulu. At first glance, it could look like conventional biological terror, but beneath Together resides a deep examination about how we choose to love one another.
An Introductory Film Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together marks the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for over ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their roles, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The plot starts when Tim and Millie transition from the big city to the countryside for her career. A familiar plot device, of course, but that’s largely where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists fall into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a strange force starts to affect the duo. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a methodically building of scares, interspersing bits of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes amidst something horrific). Shanks skillfully blends these components expertly and wraps them up in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and removed from his support system. He is terrified of the idea of completely losing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is intensified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he refrains from painting one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Both characters confront the kind of problems that come with most partnerships after ten years. Fundamentally, they still love one another. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these fears of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the metaphor does not come across as hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have seen the movie as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could function as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion inspire anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits 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 experiment you can undertake right now.
Together is currently playing on Hulu at present.
