We present a test for long-term couples who appreciate the horror genre: Get comfortable with your partner and watch Together. The independent film success of 2025 recently had its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. On the surface, it could look like typical body horror, but inside Together exists a intense examination about how we choose to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Delving into Partnership Complexities
Together is the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the actors infuse a unique chemistry to their characters, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The plot starts when Tim and Millie transition from the metropolis to the rural area for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, of course, but that’s largely where the conventions end. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists tumble into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a strange force begins influencing the duo. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a slow burn fright fest, blending elements of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes amidst something grotesque). The director orchestrates these parts neatly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and removed from his social circle. He fears the idea of totally forfeiting his individual identity in another person. This fear is amplified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he never makes one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Both characters face the kind of problems that come with long-term unions a decade in. At their core, they still love one another. They find humor with each other, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to a partner, the allegory avoids being overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these visceral horror elements present a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights work together in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the finale sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply look at your other half and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on today.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu now.
