Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who are fans of scary movies: Sit down with your significant other and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its streaming debut via Hulu. At first glance, it might appear like standard physical horror, but within Together lies a profound contemplation about how we choose to love our partners.
A Debut Feature Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together is the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have remained a couple for a decade. Married in actuality in 2017, the two stars infuse a special spark to their characters, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The story begins when Millie and Tim transition from the urban environment to the country for her career. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, of course, but that’s mostly where the cliches end. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While trekking near their rural residence, a tempest descends, and the two discover an underground cave. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity starts to affect the pair. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a methodically building fright fest, weaving in elements of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but never too gross) physical transformations, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together neatly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his failing musical ambitions slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and far away from his support system. He dreads the idea of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is intensified by the reality he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he avoids making either of his characters the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie face the sort of issues that are inherent in most partnerships a decade in. Deep down, they still love one another. They still laugh together, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these anxieties of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the symbolism avoids being overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for staying single. On the other hand, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film ultimately assisted 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 finale plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply look at your other half and utter, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can undertake right now.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu at present.
