Here's a test for partners in committed relationships who appreciate horror films: Sit down with your partner and watch Together. The independent film success of 2025 has now made its online premiere via Hulu. On the surface, it could look like conventional body horror, but within Together lies a profound contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
A Debut Feature Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together represents the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a special spark to their characters, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The narrative begins when the couple move from the big city to the country for Millie’s job. A commonly used plot device, sure, but that’s mostly where the conventions cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While trekking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the two fall into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity begins influencing the pair. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The entire film is a methodically building fright fest, interspersing moments of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but never too gross) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes during something grotesque). The director skillfully blends these components expertly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and far away from his support system. He dreads the concept of completely losing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he can’t drive and needs Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in Together refrains from painting either of his characters the clear bad guy.
Both characters face the sort of issues that come with long-term unions a decade in. Deep down, they have affection for each other. They still laugh together, provide solace, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these anxieties of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to a partner, the metaphor avoids being hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights work together in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have interpreted the film as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could function as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the finale sow anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your other half and state, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can undertake right now.
Together is currently playing on Hulu now.
