Here's a dare for long-term couples who are fans of the horror genre: Get comfortable with your loved one and watch Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its streaming debut on Hulu. Outwardly, it could look like conventional body horror, but inside Together lies a profound contemplation about our choices in loving each other.
An Introductory Film Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for a decade. United in marriage in reality in 2017, the two stars bring a particular energy to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The narrative starts when Tim and Millie transition from the urban environment to the rural area for her career. A somewhat stereotypical story element, sure, but that’s largely where the tropes 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 rural residence, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim discover an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence begins influencing the duo. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The entire film is a methodically building of scares, interspersing bits of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but never too gross) physical transformations, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Complex Characterizations
A great deal of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and far away from his social circle. He is terrified of the idea of completely losing his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together refrains from painting one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
The couple confront the type of challenges that come with most partnerships a decade in. Fundamentally, they still love one another. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Thematic Depth
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to a partner, the metaphor never feels clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a perfect parallel to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that single viewers have interpreted the film as a powerful case for staying single. Meanwhile, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could function as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply turn to your other half and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu now.
