Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who enjoy scary movies: Settle in with your partner and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit recently had its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. At first glance, it could look like typical body horror, but beneath Together lies a intense meditation about the ways we decide to love one another.
A Debut Feature Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for over ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, the two stars bring a unique chemistry to their roles, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The story commences when the couple move from the urban environment to the rural area for her career. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, sure, but that’s primarily where the conventions end. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their new home, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim discover an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence takes hold of the couple. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying horror experience, blending bits of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but never too gross) body horror, and genuinely funny exchanges (sometimes amidst something grotesque). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts expertly and delivers them in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and distant from his social circle. He is terrified of the concept of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie avoids making Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie grapple with the type of challenges that are inherent in any relationship a decade in. Deep down, they continue to care for one another. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these concerns of excessive reliance and fully committing to another person, the allegory does not come across as clumsy or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a perfect parallel to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could function as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your significant other and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can experience right now.
Together is streaming on Hulu at present.
