Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who appreciate horror films: Get comfortable with your loved one and watch Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its streaming debut via Hulu. On the surface, it may seem like conventional biological terror, but beneath Together lies a profound meditation about our choices in loving our partners.
A Debut Feature Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have been together for over ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a special spark to their roles, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The plot starts when Millie and Tim transition from the metropolis to the country for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical story element, sure, but that’s primarily where the cliches conclude. Together transforms into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the protagonists fall into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity starts to affect the duo. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying of scares, blending bits of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). The director skillfully blends these components expertly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the idea of completely losing his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is intensified by the fact he can’t drive and relies on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together refrains from painting either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie confront the kind of problems that are inherent in long-term unions after ten years. Deep down, they continue to care for one another. They share moments of joy, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
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 visceral horror elements present a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, some couples who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could function as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you see yourself in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your partner and state, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can experience right now.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
