Here's a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of the horror genre: Settle in with your partner and stream Together. This 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut via Hulu. At first glance, it might appear like standard physical horror, but inside Together lies a deep meditation about the ways we decide to love one another.
A Debut Feature Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together is the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, partners that have been together for over ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a special spark to their characters, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The plot commences when Millie and Tim transition from the urban environment to the countryside for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, sure, but that’s primarily where the conventions conclude. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their new home, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim tumble into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a mysterious influence takes hold of the couple. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a slow burn fright fest, blending elements of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but never too gross) body horror, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and delivers them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and distant from his social circle. He is terrified of the notion of completely losing his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is intensified by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision is that he never makes one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
The couple confront the type of challenges that come with most partnerships over a long period. At their core, they have affection for one another. They still laugh together, offer support, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to another person, the metaphor avoids being hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for staying single. Conversely, some couples having disagreements found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could act as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the finale plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply look at your significant other and say, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform at present.
