Consider this a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate the horror genre: Get comfortable with your partner and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 has now made its online premiere on Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like typical body horror, but inside Together exists a profound meditation about how we choose to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together is the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have been together for over ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, the actors infuse a particular energy to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The story commences when Tim and Millie transition from the urban environment to the country for Millie’s job. A commonly used plot device, of course, but that’s largely where the conventions conclude. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists discover an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence begins influencing the pair. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The entire film is a methodically building fright fest, weaving in moments of dreamlike terrors, gross (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). The director orchestrates these parts seamlessly and presents them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his floundering music career inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and removed from his network of friends. He fears the concept of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is intensified by the fact he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision is that he refrains from painting either of his characters the clear bad guy.
The couple grapple with the type of challenges that arise in most partnerships a decade in. Deep down, they continue to care for one another. They share moments of joy, offer support, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable undercurrent of doubt about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to another person, the metaphor never feels clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which remains unspoiled, has left audiences divided on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that those not in relationships have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for staying single. Conversely, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could function as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply look at your other half and utter, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can embark on right now.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform now.
