Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who appreciate scary movies: Get comfortable with your loved one and stream Together. This 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut on Hulu. At first glance, it might appear like standard body horror, but within Together exists a profound contemplation about our choices in loving each other.
An Introductory Film Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together represents the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have been together for a decade. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the actors bring a particular energy to their characters, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The story commences when Tim and Millie transition from the metropolis to the countryside for Millie’s job. A familiar story element, of course, but that’s largely where the conventions conclude. Together transforms into as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While trekking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the protagonists tumble into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity starts to affect the duo. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The whole movie is a methodically building of scares, weaving in elements of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but never too gross) body horror, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes amidst something disturbing). Shanks orchestrates these parts expertly and delivers them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and far away from his social circle. He fears the notion of totally forfeiting his individual identity in Millie. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie refrains from painting one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie face the type of challenges that come with any relationship after ten years. Fundamentally, they continue to care for each other. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together represent these fears of excessive reliance and fully committing to another person, the symbolism avoids being hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights work together symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that those not in relationships have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the finale plant anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply look at your significant other and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu at present.
