Here's a dare for partners in committed relationships who enjoy the horror genre: Sit down with your partner and watch Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie recently had its online premiere via Hulu. At first glance, it might appear like typical physical horror, but inside Together exists a deep meditation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together is the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for a decade. Married in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a special spark to their roles, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The narrative begins when the couple relocate from the big city to the country for her career. A familiar narrative setup, of course, but that’s mostly where the cliches conclude. Together transforms into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their new home, a storm hits, and the protagonists tumble into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a strange force takes hold of the duo. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a methodically building fright fest, weaving in elements of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes during something disturbing). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components neatly and presents them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Complex Characterizations
A large part of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and removed from his support system. He is terrified of the notion of completely losing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie avoids making either of his characters the clear bad guy.
Both characters confront the type of challenges that arise in long-term unions after ten years. At their core, they have affection for one another. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to another person, the metaphor does not come across as overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, certain partners having disagreements found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could act as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the ending inspire anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply look at your other half and utter, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can undertake today.
Together is streaming on Hulu now.
