Here's a test for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate the horror genre: Sit down with your significant other and view Together. This independent film success of 2025 has now made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it might appear like standard body horror, but beneath Together lies a intense contemplation about our choices in loving each other.
A Debut Feature Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their roles, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The narrative begins when Millie and Tim move from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A familiar story element, of course, but that’s mostly where the conventions end. Together transforms into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the two fall into an underground cave. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a strange force takes hold of the couple. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a slow burn fright fest, blending moments of fever-dream horrors, disturbing (but never too gross) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes amidst something grotesque). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and presents them in a slowly mounting sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and distant from his social circle. He fears the idea of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in Together avoids making one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie face the kind of problems that arise in long-term unions a decade in. Deep down, they have affection for each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their future together.
Thematic Depth
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these anxieties of codependency and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the symbolism does not come across as clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to resolve their issues.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could act as a revealing measure of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending plant anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply look at your partner and utter, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can undertake right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu at present.
