Here's a dare for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy the horror genre: Settle in with your significant other and view Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie recently had its online premiere via Hulu. At first glance, it could look like typical biological terror, but beneath Together resides a intense contemplation about the ways we decide to love one another.
An Introductory Film Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have remained a couple for a decade. United in marriage in reality in 2017, the two stars bring a special spark to their characters, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The story commences when Millie and Tim relocate from the metropolis to the rural area for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, of course, but that’s primarily where the cliches end. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the partnership as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their country house, a storm hits, and the two discover an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity takes hold of the duo. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The whole movie is a methodically building fright fest, blending elements of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) body horror, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and presents them in a slowly mounting sense of impending doom.
Complex Characterizations
A great deal of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and removed from his social circle. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he can’t drive and relies on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he avoids making Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Both characters confront the kind of problems that come with long-term unions a decade in. Deep down, they have affection for one another. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their future together.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these concerns of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory never feels hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that those not in relationships have understood the narrative as a powerful case for staying single. Conversely, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your partner and utter, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can experience right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
