We present a dare for long-term couples who appreciate horror films: Sit down with your loved one and view Together. This 2025 indie hit has now made its streaming debut via Hulu. Outwardly, it could look like standard body horror, but inside Together exists a intense meditation about our choices in loving our partners.
A Debut Feature Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together marks the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for over ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, the two stars bring a particular energy to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The narrative starts when Tim and Millie relocate from the urban environment to the rural area for her career. A somewhat stereotypical story element, admittedly, 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 hiking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and Millie and Tim fall into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity begins influencing the pair. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The whole movie is a methodically building of scares, interspersing elements of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but never too gross) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). The director skillfully blends these components seamlessly and wraps them up in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and removed from his social circle. He is terrified of the notion of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is amplified by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie refrains from painting either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Both characters confront the sort of issues that are inherent in any relationship a decade in. Deep down, they continue to care for each other. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to another person, the allegory does not come across as clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for staying single. Meanwhile, some couples who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could function as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply look at your significant other and state, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu now.
