We present a test for long-term couples who enjoy the horror genre: Sit down with your partner and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it might appear like standard body horror, but inside Together lies a profound examination about our choices in loving our partners.
A Directorial Debut Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together represents the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have been together for a decade. United in marriage in real life in 2017, the actors contribute a special spark to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The narrative begins when the couple transition from the metropolis to the countryside for professional reasons. A familiar plot device, admittedly, but that’s largely where the tropes conclude. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence begins influencing the pair. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying horror experience, blending bits of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes during something grotesque). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and delivers them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and removed from his network of friends. He fears the concept of completely losing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together avoids making Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
The couple grapple with the type of challenges that come with most partnerships a decade in. Deep down, they continue to care for one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these anxieties of codependency and fully committing to another person, the symbolism never feels overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama work together in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that single viewers have seen the movie as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. Conversely, a few pairs experiencing tension 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 telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the ending plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your other half and utter, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
