Consider this a dare for long-term couples who appreciate the horror genre: Settle in with your partner and watch Together. This independent film success of 2025 just made its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it may seem like typical biological terror, but within Together resides a deep contemplation about how we choose to love each other.
An Introductory Film Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for over ten years. Having wed in actuality in 2017, the two stars infuse a particular energy to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The narrative begins when Tim and Millie transition from the big city to the country for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, of course, but that’s mostly where the cliches cease. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a strange force starts to affect the pair. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The complete narrative is a methodically building of scares, blending bits of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) body horror, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes amidst something grotesque). The director skillfully blends these components expertly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Complex Characterizations
A great deal of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is suffering due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve relocated rural and removed from his support system. He fears the idea of completely losing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is amplified by the reality he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he refrains from painting either of his characters the clear bad guy.
Both characters confront the type of challenges that arise in any relationship a decade in. Deep down, they continue to care for each other. They find humor with each other, offer support, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Thematic Depth
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to another person, the metaphor does not come across as hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your significant other and say, “We could get through that together”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an exploration you can experience right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
