We present a dare for long-term couples who appreciate the horror genre: Get comfortable with your loved one and view Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. On the surface, it could look like standard body horror, but beneath Together lies a profound contemplation about our choices in loving each other.
An Introductory Film Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together is the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have been together for over ten years. Married in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a special spark to their roles, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The narrative commences when Millie and Tim transition from the big city to the countryside for her career. A commonly used narrative setup, of course, but that’s primarily where the cliches end. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their new home, a storm hits, and the protagonists fall into an underground cave. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a strange force takes hold of the duo. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying of scares, weaving in bits of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). The director weaves these elements together neatly and presents them in a gradually swelling atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and far away from his social circle. He is terrified of the notion of totally forfeiting his sense of self in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he refrains from painting one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie confront the kind of problems that are inherent in most partnerships a decade in. Deep down, they still love each other. They still laugh together, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these fears of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to a partner, the metaphor does not come across as hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements present a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama serve the other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that single viewers have interpreted the film as a powerful case for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film actually helped them make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could act as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the finale plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply look at your partner and say, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can embark on right now.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform now.
