Here's a dare for long-term couples who appreciate scary movies: Settle in with your significant other and view Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. At first glance, it may seem like conventional body horror, but within Together exists a profound meditation about our choices in loving our partners.
An Introductory Film Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together is the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for over ten years. Married in reality in 2017, the two stars infuse a particular energy to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The plot commences when the couple move from the urban environment to the country for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, admittedly, but that’s primarily where the tropes cease. 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 trekking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the protagonists tumble into an underground cave. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity takes hold of the duo. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a slow burn fright fest, weaving in bits of fever-dream horrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and delivers them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is suffering due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the idea of totally forfeiting his sense of self in his partner. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie never makes Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie face the sort of issues that arise in long-term unions after ten years. Deep down, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, offer support, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of excessive reliance and fully committing to another person, the symbolism avoids being clumsy or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Conversely, some couples having disagreements found that the film actually helped them make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could function as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the finale plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your partner and state, “We could get through that together”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an exploration you can undertake right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu now.
