Consider this a challenge for long-term couples who appreciate the horror genre: Get comfortable with your significant other and watch Together. This 2025 indie hit has now made its online premiere on Hulu. At first glance, it might appear like standard body horror, but inside Together exists a deep contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together marks the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have been together for a decade. Married in actuality in 2017, the actors bring a unique chemistry to their characters, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The narrative commences when Millie and Tim relocate from the big city to the rural area for her career. A commonly used plot device, sure, but that’s mostly where the conventions conclude. Together evolves into as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists discover an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity takes hold of the pair. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying fright fest, interspersing bits of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes during something disturbing). Shanks orchestrates these parts expertly and wraps them up in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Complex Characterizations
A large part of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his failing musical ambitions gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and removed from his support system. He dreads the idea of totally forfeiting his individual identity in Millie. This fear is intensified by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision is that he refrains from painting either of his characters the obvious villain.
Both characters grapple with the kind of problems that are inherent in any relationship after ten years. Deep down, they have affection for each other. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these fears of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to another person, the symbolism never feels overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
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 understood the narrative as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could act as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the ending plant anxiety and horror, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your partner and state, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform now.
