Here's a challenge for partners in committed relationships who are fans of scary movies: Settle in with your partner and watch Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its online premiere on Hulu. Outwardly, it could look like conventional body horror, but beneath Together exists a intense contemplation about how we choose to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have remained a couple for over ten years. Having wed in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a special spark to their roles, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The story commences when the couple transition from the big city to the country for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the conventions conclude. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the two fall into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a strange force begins influencing the pair. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The complete narrative is a methodically building of scares, blending bits of fever-dream horrors, disturbing (but never too gross) body horror, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and presents them in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Complex Characterizations
A large part of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and distant from his social circle. He is terrified of the concept of completely losing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect in Together avoids making Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie confront the kind of problems that arise in long-term unions over a long period. Fundamentally, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to a partner, the symbolism does not come across as clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for staying single. On the other hand, some couples who were in conflict found that the film ended up guiding them to resolve their issues.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own response could act as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply look at your partner and state, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can undertake today.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform at present.
