Here's a challenge for partners in committed relationships who appreciate scary movies: Sit down with your significant other and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 recently had its streaming debut on Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like standard body horror, but within Together resides a profound examination about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Directorial Debut Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together represents the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have been together for ten years. United in marriage in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a unique chemistry to their roles, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a enduring union.
The plot begins when the couple move from the metropolis to the countryside for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, sure, but that’s mostly where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their new home, a storm hits, and the two fall into an underground cave. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a mysterious influence starts to affect the pair. This force compels a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying horror experience, weaving in elements of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes amidst something disturbing). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and delivers them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his floundering music career gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and distant from his social circle. He dreads the concept of completely losing his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision is that he never makes one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
The couple grapple with the type of challenges that come with long-term unions over a long period. At their core, they continue to care for each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these concerns of codependency and fully committing to another person, the metaphor never feels clumsy or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights work together symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that single viewers have interpreted the film as a powerful case for staying single. On the other hand, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could function as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion inspire anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply look at your significant other and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can experience at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu now.
