We present a dare for long-term couples who enjoy the horror genre: Get comfortable with your loved one and watch Together. This independent film success of 2025 recently had its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it might appear like typical body horror, but inside Together exists a deep examination about our choices in loving each other.
A Debut Feature Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have been together for a decade. United in marriage in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a unique chemistry to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The story commences when the couple transition from the big city to the countryside for professional reasons. A familiar narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s primarily where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the two discover an underground cave. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity takes hold of the duo. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying fright fest, blending moments of dreamlike terrors, gross (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts expertly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling atmosphere of fear.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is waning due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and far away from his support system. He dreads the notion of totally forfeiting his sense of self in Millie. This fear is intensified by the reality he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie never makes one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Both characters grapple with the sort of issues that are inherent in most partnerships over a long period. At their core, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Thematic Depth
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of excessive reliance and fully committing to a partner, the metaphor does not come across as hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that single viewers have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for staying single. Meanwhile, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could function as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your other half and state, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can undertake right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform at present.
