Here's a dare for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate scary movies: Sit down with your partner and stream Together. This 2025 indie hit recently had its streaming debut on the Hulu service. On the surface, it may seem like standard body horror, but inside Together exists a deep meditation about our choices in loving our partners.
An Introductory Film Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for a decade. Married in reality in 2017, the actors bring a particular energy to their characters, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The story commences when the couple transition from the big city to the country for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s largely where the cliches end. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the partnership as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity starts to affect the couple. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a slow burn horror experience, blending moments of fever-dream horrors, gross (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes amidst something horrific). The director skillfully blends these components expertly and presents them in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his floundering music career inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and distant from his social circle. He fears the idea of completely losing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie avoids making one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Both characters grapple with the type of challenges that come with most partnerships over a long period. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They still laugh together, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these concerns of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the symbolism never feels hamfisted or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that single viewers have interpreted the film as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Conversely, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your significant other and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can undertake right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu now.
