We present a challenge for partners in committed relationships who are fans of horror films: Settle in with your partner and stream Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie recently had its online premiere via Hulu. At first glance, it might appear like standard biological terror, but within Together lies a deep contemplation about how we choose to love each other.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together represents the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for over ten years. Married in real life in 2017, the actors infuse a particular energy to their characters, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The plot commences when the couple move from the metropolis to the country for professional reasons. A familiar narrative setup, of course, but that’s mostly where the conventions conclude. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists tumble into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a strange force takes hold of the couple. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The complete narrative is a slow burn of scares, weaving in moments of fever-dream horrors, gross (but never too gross) physical transformations, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Complex Characterizations
A great deal of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his floundering music career inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and removed from his network of friends. He is terrified of the idea of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in another person. This fear is amplified by the reality he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision in Together avoids making either of his characters the obvious villain.
The couple confront the sort of issues that are inherent in long-term unions over a long period. At their core, they have affection for one another. They still laugh together, provide solace, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of codependency and fully committing to another person, the metaphor never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have seen the movie as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Conversely, some couples having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could function as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply look at your partner and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is streaming on Hulu at present.
