Here's a challenge for partners in committed relationships who enjoy horror films: Settle in with your partner and view Together. This 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut on Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like standard biological terror, but within Together resides a deep examination about our choices in loving one another.
A Debut Feature Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together represents the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It showcases actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, the actors bring a particular energy to their roles, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The plot starts when Tim and Millie move from the big city to the country for Millie’s job. A commonly used narrative setup, sure, but that’s primarily where the conventions end. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and Millie and Tim fall into an underground cave. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity takes hold of the couple. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The whole movie is a slow burn of scares, interspersing moments of dreamlike terrors, gross (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes during something grotesque). The director skillfully blends these components expertly and delivers them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and distant from his support system. He dreads the notion of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he avoids making Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Both characters confront the kind of problems that come with any relationship after ten years. Deep down, they still love one another. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to another person, the allegory never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other symbiotically.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a powerful case for staying single. Meanwhile, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could function as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the ending plant anxiety and horror, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your significant other and say, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can embark on today.
Together is streaming on Hulu now.
