We present a test for partners in committed relationships who are fans of the horror genre: Get comfortable with your significant other and view Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie recently had its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it might appear like typical body horror, but inside Together resides a intense meditation about our choices in loving our partners.
An Introductory Film Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a unique chemistry to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The plot starts when Tim and Millie transition from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A familiar plot device, sure, but that’s primarily where the tropes conclude. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and Millie and Tim discover an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity starts to affect the duo. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a slow burn horror experience, weaving in moments of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). The director weaves these elements together expertly and presents them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and far away from his social circle. He fears the idea of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he can’t drive and needs Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie refrains from painting Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Both characters face the type of challenges that are inherent in any relationship over a long period. Deep down, they have affection for one another. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these fears of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to another person, the metaphor never feels clumsy or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a compelling reason 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 response could act as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the finale plant anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your partner and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can experience right now.
Together is currently playing on Hulu as of this moment.
