Here's a test for long-term couples who enjoy horror films: Sit down with your partner and view Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. On the surface, it might appear like standard body horror, but inside Together resides a profound examination about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for over ten years. Married in reality in 2017, the two stars infuse a special spark to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The story commences when the couple relocate from the metropolis to the country for Millie’s job. A commonly used story element, of course, but that’s mostly where the cliches conclude. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their country house, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim fall into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a strange force begins influencing the duo. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying horror experience, weaving in elements of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes during something disturbing). The director orchestrates these parts expertly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only the two lead actors, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and removed from his support system. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for mobility.
The film's most intelligent aspect in Together refrains from painting Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
The couple face the kind of problems that arise in long-term unions after ten years. At their core, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, offer support, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, 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 codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory does not come across as overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Conversely, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, 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 state, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is streaming on Hulu as of this moment.
