Consider this a dare for long-term couples who are fans of the horror genre: Sit down with your partner and view Together. This 2025 indie hit just made its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. On the surface, it may seem like typical physical horror, but inside Together exists a intense meditation about how we choose to love each other.
A Debut Feature Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have remained a couple for over ten years. Having wed in actuality in 2017, the two stars bring a unique chemistry to their characters, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The narrative commences when Tim and Millie move from the urban environment to the rural area for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical story element, sure, but that’s primarily where the cliches end. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the protagonists discover an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity begins influencing the couple. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The entire film is a slow burn horror experience, weaving in bits of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes amidst something disturbing). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and presents them in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his floundering music career gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the idea of totally forfeiting his sense of self in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he never makes one partner or the other the obvious villain.
The couple grapple with the kind of problems that are inherent in most partnerships a decade in. At their core, they still love one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable undercurrent of doubt about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these concerns of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to another person, the metaphor avoids being clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a powerful case for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the finale sow anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply look at your significant other and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
