Here's a dare for partners in committed relationships who enjoy horror films: Sit down with your significant other and view Together. The independent film success of 2025 recently had its streaming debut on the Hulu service. At first glance, it may seem like conventional body horror, but beneath Together lies a intense examination about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Debut Feature Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together marks the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for over ten years. United in marriage in reality in 2017, the actors infuse a particular energy to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The plot starts when Millie and Tim transition from the urban environment to the rural area for professional reasons. A commonly used plot device, sure, but that’s mostly where the tropes conclude. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the protagonists tumble into an underground cave. After spending the night there and finally finding a way out, a strange force takes hold of the duo. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a slow burn horror experience, interspersing moments of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes amidst something disturbing). Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and removed from his social circle. He dreads the idea of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is amplified by the reality he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he avoids making one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie confront the sort of issues that come with most partnerships after ten years. Deep down, they continue to care for each other. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these fears of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the symbolism avoids being clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a powerful case for staying single. On the other hand, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could function as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the finale inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your partner and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
