Consider this a challenge for partners in committed relationships who enjoy horror films: Settle in with your significant other and view Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its streaming debut via Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like standard physical horror, but inside Together exists a deep contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
A Debut Feature Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have been together for a decade. Having wed in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their characters, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The story starts when Tim and Millie transition from the big city to the countryside for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, of course, but that’s primarily where the cliches cease. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their rural residence, a tempest descends, and the two tumble into an underground cave. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a strange force begins influencing the pair. This force compels a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying horror experience, weaving in bits of fever-dream horrors, disturbing (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes amidst something horrific). Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and delivers them in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they deftly portray countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and far away from his social circle. He dreads the idea of completely losing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for mobility.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie avoids making Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Both characters confront the type of challenges that are inherent in most partnerships over a long period. Fundamentally, they have affection for each other. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these fears of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the allegory never feels overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a strong argument for remaining unattached. On the other hand, certain partners who were in conflict found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could act as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the finale inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your significant other and utter, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can undertake today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu at present.
