We present a dare for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate the horror genre: Get comfortable with your significant other and watch Together. This independent film success of 2025 recently had its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it may seem like standard body horror, but within Together exists a intense meditation about our choices in loving one another.
An Introductory Film Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together is the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have been together for a decade. United in marriage in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a particular energy to their characters, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The plot begins when Tim and Millie transition from the big city to the rural area for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, of course, but that’s largely where the tropes end. Together evolves into as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their new home, a storm hits, and the protagonists fall into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence takes hold of the couple. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past simple connection.
The complete narrative is a slow burn fright fest, blending elements of fever-dream horrors, gross (but never too gross) physical transformations, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts expertly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his floundering music career gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and distant from his network of friends. He dreads the idea of totally forfeiting his sense of self in another person. This fear is intensified by the fact he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together avoids making either of his characters the clear bad guy.
Both characters grapple with the type of challenges that are inherent in most partnerships after ten years. Fundamentally, they continue to care for one another. They share moments of joy, offer support, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these concerns of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to a partner, the symbolism does not come across as clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Conversely, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own response could function as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the ending inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your other half and state, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can undertake today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu now.
