Here's a challenge for partners in committed relationships who enjoy scary movies: Settle in with your loved one and watch Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. At first glance, it might appear like typical biological terror, but inside Together resides a profound meditation about how we choose to love our partners.
A Debut Feature Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together is the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have been together for ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a unique chemistry to their roles, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a enduring union.
The plot starts when the couple relocate from the metropolis to the country for her career. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, of course, but that’s primarily where the cliches end. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the protagonists fall into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity begins influencing the duo. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a methodically building fright fest, interspersing elements of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but never too gross) body horror, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes amidst something disturbing). Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and delivers them in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve relocated rural and distant from his support system. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is amplified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for mobility.
The film's most intelligent aspect in Together refrains from painting one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Both characters confront the type of challenges that are inherent in long-term unions over a long period. At their core, they continue to care for each other. They still laugh together, provide solace, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the metaphor never feels overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama work together symbiotically.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement 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. On the other hand, certain partners who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own response could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply look at your partner and say, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can embark on right now.
Together is streaming on Hulu as of this moment.
