We present a test for partners in committed relationships who enjoy horror films: Get comfortable with your loved one and view Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its online premiere via Hulu. On the surface, it could look like standard biological terror, but inside Together lies a profound examination about the ways we decide to love one another.
An Introductory Film Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have been together for a decade. Married in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a unique chemistry to their characters, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The story begins when the couple relocate from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, admittedly, but that’s largely where the conventions conclude. Together evolves into as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their country house, a storm hits, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence takes hold of the couple. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a slow burn horror experience, weaving in bits of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and delivers them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his failing musical ambitions slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and far away from his network of friends. He fears the idea of totally forfeiting his individual identity in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie never makes Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Both characters face the kind of problems that arise in any relationship after ten years. Fundamentally, they have affection for each other. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these anxieties of codependency and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the symbolism never feels overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which remains unspoiled, has left audiences divided on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. On the other hand, certain partners having disagreements found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could act as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your significant other and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can embark on today.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
