Here's a test for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of the horror genre: Sit down with your significant other and stream Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie recently had its online premiere on Hulu. On the surface, it could look like typical physical horror, but beneath Together exists a profound meditation about how we choose to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Delving into Partnership Complexities
Together is the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for a decade. Having wed in real life in 2017, the two stars bring a special spark to their characters, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The narrative commences when Tim and Millie relocate from the urban environment to the country for professional reasons. A commonly used narrative setup, sure, but that’s largely where the tropes cease. Together transforms into as much a psychological exploration of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists fall into an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity starts to affect the pair. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past simple connection.
The whole movie is a methodically building horror experience, interspersing bits of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes amidst something horrific). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and wraps them up in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and far away from his social circle. He fears the idea of totally forfeiting his sense of self in another person. This fear is intensified by the reality he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in Together avoids making one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie face the sort of issues that arise in long-term unions over a long period. At their core, they still love one another. They find humor with each other, offer support, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to a partner, the symbolism avoids being hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other 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 enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for remaining unattached. On the other hand, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could potentially serve as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the finale inspire anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your significant other and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can undertake today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu now.
