Here's a dare for long-term couples who are fans of the horror genre: Settle in with your loved one and watch Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its online premiere on Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like typical body horror, but inside Together exists a intense examination about how we choose to love each other.
A Debut Feature Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together is the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for over ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, the actors infuse a special spark to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The story starts when Tim and Millie relocate from the metropolis to the country for professional reasons. A familiar narrative setup, sure, but that’s mostly where the conventions end. Together evolves into as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their new home, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim discover an subterranean cavern. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a strange force begins influencing the pair. This force compels a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying fright fest, weaving in elements of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes amidst something horrific). Shanks orchestrates these parts expertly and delivers them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Tim, on the other hand senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and far away from his social circle. He fears the idea of completely losing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is intensified by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together refrains from painting Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
Both characters confront the sort of issues that come with most partnerships a decade in. Deep down, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Conversely, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could act as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your other half and say, “We could get through that together”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can experience today.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
