Here's a test for long-term couples who are fans of the horror genre: Get comfortable with your partner and watch Together. This 2025 indie hit recently had its streaming debut via Hulu. At first glance, it could look like standard physical horror, but within Together lies a profound meditation about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Directorial Debut Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for a decade. United in marriage in reality in 2017, the two stars bring a unique chemistry to their characters, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The plot starts when Millie and Tim transition from the metropolis to the countryside for professional reasons. A familiar story element, admittedly, but that’s largely where the tropes end. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the partnership as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While trekking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the protagonists tumble into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a mysterious influence begins influencing the duo. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a methodically building horror experience, weaving in elements of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but not excessively graphic) body horror, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and wraps them up in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is only the two lead actors, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is waning due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and removed from his social circle. He dreads the notion of completely losing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he can’t drive and needs Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie never makes Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
Both characters confront the sort of issues that arise in any relationship after ten years. Deep down, they have affection for each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these fears of codependency and fully committing to another person, the symbolism avoids being overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a powerful case for staying single. Conversely, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could act as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply look at your partner and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can experience today.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu now.
