We present a dare for long-term couples who enjoy the horror genre: Settle in with your significant other and watch Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. Outwardly, it could look like standard body horror, but beneath Together exists a deep examination about the ways we decide to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have been together for ten years. Married in real life in 2017, the two stars contribute a particular energy to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The narrative starts when the couple transition from the metropolis to the countryside for her career. A commonly used plot device, admittedly, but that’s largely where the conventions cease. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their new home, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim fall into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence takes hold of the pair. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The whole movie is a methodically building horror experience, weaving in moments of fever-dream horrors, gross (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes during something grotesque). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and presents them in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and far away from his social circle. He is terrified of the idea of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in another person. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in Together avoids making either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Both characters confront the kind of problems that come with long-term unions a decade in. Fundamentally, they have affection for each other. They still laugh together, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to another person, the metaphor avoids being overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that those not in relationships have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Conversely, certain partners having disagreements found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could function as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your other half and utter, “We could get through that together”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an exploration you can experience today.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu now.
