Here's a test for partners in committed relationships who enjoy the horror genre: Settle in with your loved one and stream Together. This 2025 indie hit has now made its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it may seem like standard physical horror, but inside Together resides a intense meditation about our choices in loving one another.
An Introductory Film Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for ten years. United in marriage in reality in 2017, the actors bring a particular energy to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The plot begins when Tim and Millie relocate from the big city to the rural area for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, of course, but that’s mostly where the cliches conclude. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the two fall into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity begins influencing the couple. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a slow burn fright fest, blending elements of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and presents them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his floundering music career inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and removed from his network of friends. He fears the idea of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is intensified by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie refrains from painting one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Both characters grapple with the kind of problems that come with long-term unions a decade in. At their core, they continue to care for one another. They still laugh together, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to another person, the allegory never feels hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for staying single. Conversely, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the ending sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply look at your partner and say, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can embark on right now.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
