We present a dare for long-term couples who appreciate the horror genre: Settle in with your significant other and view Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. On the surface, it may seem like standard body horror, but within Together lies a deep contemplation about how we choose to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for a decade. United in marriage in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a unique chemistry to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The story commences when Millie and Tim relocate from the big city to the country for professional reasons. A commonly used story element, of course, but that’s largely where the cliches end. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the two fall into an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a mysterious influence begins influencing the couple. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a slow burn of scares, interspersing bits of fever-dream horrors, disturbing (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes during something horrific). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and presents them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his floundering music career gradually emerges.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve relocated rural and far away from his support system. He fears the notion of completely losing his sense of self in another person. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he avoids making one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
The couple confront the type of challenges that come with long-term unions over a long period. Fundamentally, they still love one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the metaphor never feels hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a powerful case for remaining unattached. On the other hand, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could act as a revealing measure of how you perceive partnership. Will the finale inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your significant other and utter, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can undertake right now.
Together is currently playing on Hulu at present.
