Here's a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy the horror genre: Settle in with your partner and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its streaming debut via Hulu. Outwardly, it may seem like standard biological terror, but beneath Together resides a deep contemplation about our choices in loving each other.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have been together for ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, the actors bring a special spark to their characters, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The plot starts when Tim and Millie move from the metropolis to the rural area for professional reasons. A familiar story element, of course, but that’s mostly where the conventions cease. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the partnership as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the two tumble into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity takes hold of the couple. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a methodically building horror experience, weaving in elements of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes during something grotesque). The director orchestrates these parts neatly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is only the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and removed from his network of friends. He fears the idea of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie refrains from painting Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
The couple face the type of challenges that are inherent in long-term unions over a long period. At their core, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, offer support, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to another person, the allegory never feels hamfisted or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that single viewers have understood the narrative as a strong argument for staying single. On the other hand, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could function as a revealing measure of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your other half and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can undertake today.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu now.
