We present a challenge for long-term couples who appreciate horror films: Settle in with your significant other and view Together. This 2025 indie hit has now made its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like standard body horror, but beneath Together exists a deep meditation about our choices in loving our partners.
An Introductory Film Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, the actors bring a special spark to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The narrative starts when Tim and Millie transition from the big city to the countryside for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s largely where the tropes conclude. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the two fall into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a strange force takes hold of the duo. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The whole movie is a methodically building horror experience, blending bits of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes amidst something grotesque). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and presents them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A great deal of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career gradually emerges.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the concept of completely losing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together avoids making Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie grapple with the sort of issues that are inherent in long-term unions a decade in. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They still laugh together, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together represent these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to another person, the metaphor never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that single viewers have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Conversely, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could function as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your other half and say, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can experience right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform at present.
