Consider this a dare for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy scary movies: Get comfortable with your significant other and stream Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. At first glance, it may seem like typical body horror, but beneath Together exists a profound contemplation about the ways we decide to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together is the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have been together for a decade. Having wed in reality in 2017, the two stars bring a unique chemistry to their characters, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a enduring union.
The plot commences when the couple move from the metropolis to the rural area for professional reasons. A familiar plot device, sure, but that’s primarily where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the two fall into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity starts to affect the couple. This force compels a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a slow burn fright fest, blending bits of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes amidst something horrific). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and far away from his network of friends. He dreads the notion of totally forfeiting his individual identity in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie never makes either of his characters the obvious villain.
The couple face the type of challenges that come with most partnerships a decade in. Deep down, they still love one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these fears of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the symbolism avoids being hamfisted or heavy-handed. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that single viewers have understood the narrative as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to resolve their issues.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the finale inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your significant other and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can experience at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
