Consider this a test for partners in committed relationships who enjoy the horror genre: Settle in with your significant other and stream Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. At first glance, it could look like standard body horror, but inside Together lies a intense examination about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Directorial Debut Delving into Partnership Complexities
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have remained a couple for ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, the actors infuse a particular energy to their roles, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The story commences when Millie and Tim relocate from the metropolis to the country for her career. A somewhat stereotypical story element, of course, but that’s mostly where the tropes cease. Together transforms into as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their new home, a storm hits, and the protagonists discover an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity starts to affect the pair. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying fright fest, interspersing bits of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes amidst something grotesque). The director weaves these elements together seamlessly and presents them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and removed from his social circle. He fears the concept of completely losing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he never makes either of his characters the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie confront the sort of issues that arise in long-term unions over a long period. Fundamentally, they have affection for each other. They find humor with each other, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these fears of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to another person, the symbolism does not come across as hamfisted or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have seen the movie as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could act as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the finale sow anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your partner and say, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can embark on right now.
Together is streaming on Hulu at present.
