Consider this a test for long-term couples who are fans of scary movies: Get comfortable with your significant other and view Together. The 2025 indie hit recently had its online premiere via Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like conventional body horror, but beneath Together lies a deep contemplation about the ways we decide to love one another.
A Debut Feature Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for over ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, the actors contribute a particular energy to their characters, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The story starts when Millie and Tim transition from the urban environment to the country for her career. A familiar plot device, sure, but that’s largely where the cliches end. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists tumble into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity begins influencing the couple. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a slow burn of scares, interspersing elements of fever-dream horrors, gross (but not excessively graphic) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and delivers them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is suffering due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and far away from his social circle. He dreads the notion of completely losing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is intensified by the fact he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie avoids making either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Both characters face the sort of issues that come with most partnerships over a long period. Fundamentally, they continue to care for each other. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these concerns of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to a partner, the metaphor never feels clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a perfect parallel to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama serve the other in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that single viewers have understood the narrative as a powerful case for remaining unattached. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to resolve their issues.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion plant anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your significant other and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can experience at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu as of this moment.
