Here's a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of horror films: Settle in with your loved one and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 has now made its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. At first glance, it might appear like standard biological terror, but inside Together lies a deep meditation about how we choose to love one another.
An Introductory Film Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for over ten years. Married in reality in 2017, the two stars bring a particular energy to their characters, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The narrative commences when Tim and Millie move from the urban environment to the countryside for Millie’s job. A familiar plot device, of course, but that’s primarily where the cliches cease. Together becomes 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 hiking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the two tumble into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a strange force starts to affect the duo. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying horror experience, interspersing elements of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but tastefully done) body horror, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes amidst something grotesque). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together neatly and delivers them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and far away from his network of friends. He dreads the notion of completely losing his sense of self in another person. This fear is intensified by the fact he can’t drive and relies on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together refrains from painting one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Both characters face the sort of issues that arise in long-term unions over a long period. Deep down, they continue to care for each other. They find humor with each other, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these fears of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to another person, the allegory never feels clumsy or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other symbiotically.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that single viewers have seen the movie as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Conversely, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could act as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply look at your significant other and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform at present.
