Here's a test for long-term couples who appreciate scary movies: Sit down with your partner and view Together. The independent film success of 2025 recently had its online premiere via Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like standard body horror, but inside Together exists a deep meditation about our choices in loving each other.
A Directorial Debut Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have been together for over ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a special spark to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a enduring union.
The narrative starts when the couple relocate from the big city to the rural area for her career. A familiar story element, of course, but that’s primarily where the tropes cease. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the two discover an underground cave. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence begins influencing the couple. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a slow burn fright fest, blending bits of fever-dream horrors, gross (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes amidst something horrific). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and wraps them up in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the concept of totally forfeiting his individual identity in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in Together never makes Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie grapple with the type of challenges that come with most partnerships a decade in. Fundamentally, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, offer support, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to another person, the metaphor avoids being hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have seen the movie as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, some couples who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could function as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion inspire anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your partner and say, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can undertake right now.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu now.
