Here's a test for long-term couples who appreciate scary movies: Sit down with your loved one and view Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie recently had its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it could look like standard physical horror, but inside Together resides a deep examination about how we choose to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for over ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a special spark to their characters, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The story starts when Tim and Millie relocate from the urban environment to the countryside for professional reasons. A commonly used plot device, sure, but that’s mostly where the conventions cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the two fall into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and finally finding a way out, a strange force takes hold of the couple. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a slow burn fright fest, interspersing elements of dreamlike terrors, gross (but not excessively graphic) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components expertly and presents them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and far away from his network of friends. He dreads the notion of completely losing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is amplified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he avoids making one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie grapple with the kind of problems that come with any relationship a decade in. Deep down, they continue to care for each other. They share moments of joy, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory avoids being clumsy or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have seen the movie as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Conversely, some couples who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the ending sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your partner and utter, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can experience right now.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform at present.
