Here's a test for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of horror films: Settle in with your loved one and view Together. This 2025 indie hit just made its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. On the surface, it may seem like typical biological terror, but within Together lies a deep examination about how we choose to love each other.
An Introductory Film Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have been together for ten years. Having wed in actuality in 2017, the actors infuse a particular energy to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a enduring union.
The plot commences when the couple move from the big city to the countryside for professional reasons. A familiar narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists tumble into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a strange force takes hold of the couple. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a methodically building of scares, weaving in bits of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes during something disturbing). The director weaves these elements together seamlessly and delivers them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Complex Characterizations
A large part of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and far away from his support system. He is terrified of the concept of totally forfeiting his individual identity in Millie. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he can’t drive and relies on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he avoids making Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie confront the type of challenges that are inherent in most partnerships over a long period. Deep down, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to another person, the allegory does not come across as clumsy or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements present a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, some couples having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the ending sow anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply look at your significant other and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can undertake right now.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu now.
