Consider this a challenge for long-term couples who enjoy horror films: Get comfortable with your loved one and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it might appear like typical body horror, but beneath Together resides a deep examination about how we choose to love one another.
A Debut Feature Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for over ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a unique chemistry to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The story starts when the couple transition from the big city to the country for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical story element, of course, but that’s primarily where the cliches conclude. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the partnership as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their country house, a storm hits, and the protagonists tumble into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight 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 far beyond typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a slow burn horror experience, interspersing moments of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but never too gross) body horror, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes during something horrific). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and presents them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his failing musical ambitions inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and removed from his social circle. He fears the notion of totally forfeiting his sense of self in Millie. This fear is amplified by the reality he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie avoids making Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie face the type of challenges that are inherent in long-term unions a decade in. At their core, they continue to care for one another. They still laugh together, offer support, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these anxieties of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the allegory never feels hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements present a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have understood the narrative as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own response could act as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the finale inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply turn to your other half and say, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can experience today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
