Here's a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of scary movies: Sit down with your significant other and stream Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it may seem like conventional body horror, but inside Together exists a profound contemplation about our choices in loving one another.
A Debut Feature Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together represents the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have been together for ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a particular energy to their roles, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The story starts when the couple transition from the metropolis to the rural area for her career. A commonly used narrative setup, of course, but that’s primarily where the conventions conclude. Together transforms 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 rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the two tumble into an underground cave. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a strange force starts to affect the couple. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a methodically building horror experience, weaving in bits of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes amidst something horrific). Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and presents them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is suffering due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and removed from his social circle. He is terrified of the notion of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is intensified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie avoids making Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie confront the kind of problems that are inherent in any relationship a decade in. Fundamentally, they continue to care for each other. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the allegory avoids being clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for staying single. Meanwhile, certain partners having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could act as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the ending inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply look at your other half and say, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
