We present a dare for partners in committed relationships who are fans of horror films: Sit down with your loved one and watch Together. This independent film success of 2025 has now made its online premiere on the Hulu service. On the surface, it could look like conventional body horror, but beneath Together lies a deep examination about how we choose to love each other.
An Introductory Film Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for ten years. Having wed in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a unique chemistry to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The story begins when Tim and Millie relocate from the metropolis to the country for Millie’s job. A commonly used story element, of course, but that’s largely where the cliches end. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the partnership as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists tumble into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a strange force takes hold of the couple. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a slow burn of scares, interspersing moments of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and delivers them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and far away from his social circle. He dreads the notion of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie never makes one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
Both characters confront the type of challenges that arise in long-term unions a decade in. At their core, they continue to care for one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the allegory does not come across as hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal work together symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that single viewers have seen the movie as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own response could function as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you see yourself in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your significant other and utter, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an exploration you can undertake today.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu now.
