Consider this a test for partners in committed relationships who are fans of the horror genre: Settle in with your loved one and stream Together. This 2025 indie hit recently had its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like standard physical horror, but within Together resides a deep meditation about how we choose to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Delving into Partnership Complexities
Together marks the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for over ten years. United in marriage in reality in 2017, the actors infuse a particular energy to their characters, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The story commences when Tim and Millie move from the big city to the countryside for her career. A commonly used plot device, admittedly, but that’s largely where the conventions cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the two tumble into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity takes hold of the couple. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying of scares, blending elements of dreamlike terrors, gross (but not excessively graphic) body horror, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Shanks weaves these elements together neatly and presents them in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only the two lead actors, and they deftly portray countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve relocated rural and removed from his social circle. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in another person. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision is that he refrains from painting one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Both characters face the sort of issues that come with long-term unions a decade in. Deep down, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, offer support, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory never feels overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights serve the other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for staying single. Meanwhile, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could function as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply look at your significant other and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can undertake right now.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform at present.
