We present a dare for long-term couples who are fans of horror films: Settle in with your loved one and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its online premiere on Hulu. Outwardly, it could look like typical body horror, but inside Together resides a profound examination about how we choose to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together is the introductory feature 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 a decade. Married in reality in 2017, the two stars bring a particular energy to their characters, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The plot starts when the couple transition from the big city to the countryside for her career. A commonly used narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s primarily where the tropes 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 rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists tumble into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence starts to affect the pair. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying fright fest, weaving in elements of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together neatly and presents them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and distant from his support system. He fears the concept of completely losing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision is that he refrains from painting Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie grapple with the sort of issues that arise in most partnerships after ten years. At their core, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, offer support, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together represent these fears of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the metaphor does not come across as clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama serve the other symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Conversely, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could act as a telling indicator of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion inspire anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your significant other and say, “We could get through that together”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can experience at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu now.
