We present a test for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy horror films: Get comfortable with your loved one and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its online premiere on Hulu. On the surface, it could look like conventional physical horror, but within Together resides a deep examination about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Directorial Debut Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together is the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for ten years. Married in real life in 2017, the actors contribute a unique chemistry to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The plot starts when Millie and Tim transition from the big city to the country for her career. A commonly used plot device, sure, but that’s mostly where the tropes end. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and Millie and Tim tumble into an underground cave. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity takes hold of the duo. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a slow burn horror experience, interspersing elements of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but never too gross) physical transformations, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes during something disturbing). The director skillfully blends these components expertly and delivers them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and distant from his network of friends. He is terrified of the idea of completely losing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is intensified by the reality he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for mobility.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie refrains from painting one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
The couple grapple with the kind of problems that come with long-term unions over a long period. Deep down, they have affection for each other. They find humor with each other, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these anxieties of codependency and fully committing to another person, the metaphor never feels clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama work together symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. It has been said that single viewers have seen the movie as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own response could act as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the finale plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your significant other and state, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can embark on today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu at present.
