Here's a test for long-term couples who are fans of the horror genre: Get comfortable with your loved one and view Together. This 2025 indie hit has now made its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. On the surface, it may seem like typical body horror, but within Together resides a profound contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together represents the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for over ten years. Having wed in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a particular energy to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a enduring union.
The narrative starts when Millie and Tim relocate from the metropolis to the countryside for Millie’s job. A commonly used narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s primarily where the tropes conclude. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their rural residence, a tempest descends, and the two tumble into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a mysterious influence takes hold of the couple. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a methodically building of scares, blending moments of dreamlike terrors, gross (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). The director skillfully blends these components seamlessly and wraps them up in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is suffering due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and distant from his network of friends. He is terrified of the notion of completely losing his individual identity in Millie. This fear is intensified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for mobility.
The film's most intelligent aspect in Together refrains from painting either of his characters the clear bad guy.
Both characters confront the kind of problems that come with most partnerships over a long period. Deep down, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together represent these concerns of codependency and giving oneself over to another person, the symbolism never feels overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. It has been said that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the ending plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your partner and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can experience today.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
