Consider this a test for partners in committed relationships who appreciate scary movies: Settle in with your partner and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit recently had its streaming debut on the Hulu service. On the surface, it might appear like standard body horror, but inside Together resides a profound examination about how we choose to love our partners.
A Debut Feature Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have been together for a decade. Married in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a unique chemistry to their roles, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The plot commences when Tim and Millie move from the metropolis to the countryside for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, sure, but that’s mostly where the conventions cease. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While trekking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the two fall into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a strange force takes hold of the duo. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past simple connection.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying fright fest, weaving in bits of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes during something horrific). The director weaves these elements together expertly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is only the two lead actors, and they deftly portray countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his floundering music career inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and distant from his network of friends. He fears the idea of completely losing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie avoids making Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Both characters face the kind of problems that come with most partnerships over a long period. Deep down, they still love one another. They share moments of joy, provide solace, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their bond.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the symbolism never feels overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that single viewers have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could act as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your partner and utter, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can experience at this very moment.
Together is streaming on Hulu as of this moment.
