We present a test for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate scary movies: Settle in with your significant other and watch Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its online premiere on Hulu. On the surface, it may seem like typical body horror, but inside Together exists a intense contemplation about our choices in loving our partners.
A Debut Feature Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for over ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the two stars infuse a special spark to their characters, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The narrative begins when the couple relocate from the metropolis to the rural area for Millie’s job. A commonly used narrative setup, sure, but that’s primarily where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the protagonists fall into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a strange force begins influencing the duo. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a slow burn of scares, blending moments of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his floundering music career gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and far away from his network of friends. He dreads the notion of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie refrains from painting one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie confront the sort of issues that come with any relationship a decade in. At their core, they still love one another. They share moments of joy, offer support, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of excessive reliance and fully committing to another person, the symbolism never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a powerful case for staying single. On the other hand, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film actually helped them make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could act as a telling indicator of how you perceive partnership. Will the finale inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your partner and say, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can embark on right now.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform at present.
