Here's a test for long-term couples who are fans of horror films: Sit down with your partner and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like typical physical horror, but within Together resides a intense examination about how we choose to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together marks the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have been together for ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, the two stars infuse a unique chemistry to their roles, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The plot starts when the couple relocate from the big city to the countryside for her career. A commonly used narrative setup, of course, but that’s primarily where the conventions end. Together evolves into as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the two fall into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a strange force takes hold of 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 fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but tastefully done) body horror, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). The director orchestrates these parts expertly and delivers them in a slowly mounting sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is only the two lead actors, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his failing musical ambitions slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and far away from his social circle. He fears the notion of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is amplified by the fact he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he refrains from painting one partner or the other the obvious villain.
The couple confront the type of challenges that arise in long-term unions after ten years. Fundamentally, they have affection 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 future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to another person, the symbolism avoids being hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal serve the other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that single viewers have understood the narrative as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, certain partners who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could act as a revealing measure of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply look at your significant other and state, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can experience right now.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu now.
