Consider this a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of the horror genre: Sit down with your partner and view Together. The independent film success of 2025 has now made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. On the surface, it could look like standard body horror, but within Together exists a deep contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together is the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for ten years. Married in reality in 2017, the two stars infuse a special spark to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The narrative starts when Tim and Millie relocate from the big city to the rural area for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical story element, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the cliches end. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the protagonists fall into an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence takes hold of the duo. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The whole movie is a slow burn fright fest, interspersing bits of fever-dream horrors, gross (but never too gross) body horror, and genuinely funny exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). Shanks skillfully blends these components expertly and presents them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is suffering due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his floundering music career inexorably rises.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and far away from his support system. He is terrified of the concept of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in Together never makes Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
Both characters face the type of challenges that come with most partnerships a decade in. Deep down, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these anxieties of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory avoids being clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that single viewers have seen the movie as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. On the other hand, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could potentially serve as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the finale plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply look at your other half and say, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform now.
