Here's a test for long-term couples who are fans of horror films: Settle in with your significant other and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its streaming debut via Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like typical physical horror, but inside Together exists a deep meditation about how we choose to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have been together for over ten years. Having wed in actuality in 2017, the two stars infuse a special spark to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The narrative starts when Millie and Tim transition from the urban environment to the countryside for Millie’s job. A commonly used story element, sure, but that’s largely where the tropes cease. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their country house, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim fall into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity starts to affect the couple. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying of scares, interspersing elements of fever-dream horrors, disturbing (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes during something disturbing). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together neatly and presents them in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career inexorably rises.
Tim, on the other hand senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and removed from his support system. He is terrified of the concept of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he never makes Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Both characters grapple with the kind of problems that come with any relationship after ten years. Deep down, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, offer support, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these concerns of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to another person, the symbolism avoids being hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama work together in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that single viewers have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Conversely, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own response could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the ending sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your partner and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can experience today.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
