Consider this a challenge for partners in committed relationships who enjoy the horror genre: Get comfortable with your partner and view Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its online premiere on Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like typical physical horror, but inside Together exists a intense contemplation about our choices in loving our partners.
A Debut Feature Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have remained a couple for over ten years. Married in real life in 2017, the two stars contribute a special spark to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The narrative commences when Millie and Tim transition from the urban environment to the country for her career. A commonly used narrative setup, of course, but that’s largely where the tropes conclude. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their new home, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim fall into an subterranean cavern. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity takes hold of the couple. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The entire film is a slow burn horror experience, weaving in elements of fever-dream horrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) body horror, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes during something horrific). Shanks weaves these elements together neatly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only 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 deteriorating due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his failing musical ambitions gradually emerges.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and far away from his social circle. He is terrified of the idea of completely losing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he can’t drive and relies on Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision in Together refrains from painting either of his characters the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie grapple with the sort of issues that arise in long-term unions after ten years. At their core, they continue to care for one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to another person, the metaphor never feels clumsy or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that single viewers have seen the movie as a strong argument for staying single. On the other hand, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could act as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the ending plant anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your partner and say, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu now.
