Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who enjoy the horror genre: Sit down with your loved one and view Together. This 2025 indie hit just made its online premiere on Hulu. Outwardly, it could look like standard physical horror, but inside Together resides a deep contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together is the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for a decade. Having wed in actuality in 2017, the actors infuse a particular energy to their characters, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The story begins when the couple relocate from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A commonly used story element, of course, but that’s mostly where the tropes end. Together transforms into as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the protagonists tumble into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence begins influencing the duo. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying of scares, weaving in bits of fever-dream horrors, gross (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Shanks skillfully blends these components expertly and presents them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Tim, on the other hand senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and far away from his social circle. He dreads the concept of totally forfeiting his sense of self in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he refrains from painting either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Both characters confront the kind of problems that are inherent in long-term unions a decade in. Fundamentally, they continue to care for one another. They still laugh together, offer support, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of codependency and totally devoting oneself to another person, the metaphor does not come across as overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could act as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the ending sow anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your other half and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can experience right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu now.
