We present a challenge for partners in committed relationships who are fans of horror films: Sit down with your partner and stream Together. This 2025 indie hit has now made its streaming debut on Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like standard biological terror, but within Together lies a intense contemplation about the ways we decide to love one another.
An Introductory Film Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together represents the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for over ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a special spark to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The story commences when the couple transition from the big city to the countryside for Millie’s job. A familiar narrative setup, of course, but that’s mostly where the tropes conclude. Together transforms into as much a examination of mental states of the partnership as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and Millie and Tim discover an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity takes hold of the duo. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying fright fest, weaving in moments of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but never too gross) body horror, and genuinely funny exchanges (sometimes during something grotesque). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and delivers them in a slowly mounting sense of impending doom.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the notion of totally forfeiting his sense of self in another person. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he refrains from painting either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Both characters grapple with the type of challenges that arise in most partnerships a decade in. At their core, they continue to care for one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these concerns of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to another person, the symbolism never feels clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, some couples having disagreements found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the finale inspire anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your other half and say, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can experience today.
Together is streaming on Hulu now.
