Consider this a dare for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of horror films: Get comfortable with your significant other and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 has now made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. At first glance, it may seem like standard body horror, but inside Together lies a profound contemplation about how we choose to love each other.
An Introductory Film Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together is the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for ten years. Married in real life in 2017, the two stars contribute a particular energy to their roles, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a enduring union.
The narrative begins when the couple move from the metropolis to the rural area for professional reasons. A familiar narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the conventions conclude. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
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 eventually escaping, a strange force starts to affect the duo. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying fright fest, weaving in elements of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and presents them in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A great deal of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his failing musical ambitions slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and removed from his network of friends. He is terrified of the notion of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he avoids making one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Both characters grapple with the kind of problems that arise in any relationship after ten years. Deep down, they still love each other. They still laugh together, provide solace, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their bond.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to another person, the symbolism avoids being clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that single viewers have seen the movie as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Conversely, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the ending sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply look at your other half and say, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on Hulu at present.
