Consider this a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate scary movies: Get comfortable with your significant other and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its online premiere via Hulu. Outwardly, it could look like conventional body horror, but within Together resides a profound examination about how we choose to love each other.
A Debut Feature Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for ten years. Having wed in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a special spark to their roles, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The story starts when Tim and Millie transition from the big city to the rural area for Millie’s job. A commonly used story element, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the cliches end. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists fall into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a strange force begins influencing the couple. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying of scares, blending elements of fever-dream horrors, gross (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes during something disturbing). The director skillfully blends these components seamlessly and presents them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his failing musical ambitions gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and far away from his social circle. He dreads the idea of totally forfeiting his individual identity in another person. This fear is amplified by the reality he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for mobility.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie never makes either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie grapple with the type of challenges that are inherent in long-term unions over a long period. At their core, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, provide solace, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Thematic Depth
While the paranormal elements in Together represent these anxieties of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the symbolism avoids being hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that single viewers have understood the narrative as a strong argument for staying single. Meanwhile, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply look at your partner and state, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu at present.
