Here's a dare for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of scary movies: Sit down with your loved one and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 has now made its streaming debut via Hulu. On the surface, it could look like conventional body horror, but beneath Together exists a deep meditation about the ways we decide to love one another.
A Debut Feature Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for a decade. Having wed in reality in 2017, the two stars infuse a particular energy to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The narrative commences when the couple move from the metropolis to the country for professional reasons. A commonly used story element, of course, but that’s primarily where the conventions end. Together becomes 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 tempest descends, and the protagonists tumble into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a strange force takes hold of the pair. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The entire film is a methodically building fright fest, interspersing bits of fever-dream horrors, disturbing (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). Shanks weaves these elements together neatly and delivers them in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Complex Characterizations
A great deal of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his failing musical ambitions gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and far away from his support system. He is terrified of the idea of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is intensified by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he never makes either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie confront the kind of problems that come with any relationship over a long period. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They still laugh together, provide solace, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these fears of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the metaphor does not come across as overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights work together symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that single viewers have seen the movie as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Conversely, some couples who were in conflict found that the film ended up guiding them to resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could act as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion plant anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply turn to your partner and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is streaming on Hulu as of this moment.
