Consider this a test for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of the horror genre: Sit down with your significant other and stream Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its online premiere via Hulu. On the surface, it could look like typical body horror, but beneath Together resides a deep meditation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
A Debut Feature Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together is the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have been together for over ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the actors contribute a unique chemistry to their characters, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The narrative commences when Millie and Tim move from the big city to the country for Millie’s job. A familiar narrative setup, of course, 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 film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the two discover an underground cave. After spending the night there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity takes hold of the couple. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The complete narrative is a methodically building horror experience, interspersing bits of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) body horror, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components neatly and presents them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and removed from his social circle. He dreads the notion of completely losing his individual identity in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie never makes one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
The couple grapple with the sort of issues that come with any relationship a decade in. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these concerns of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to another person, the metaphor does not come across as hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal serve the other in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. It has been said that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for staying single. Meanwhile, some couples experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could act as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the ending sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your partner and state, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform at present.
