Here's a dare for long-term couples who appreciate scary movies: Settle in with your significant other and stream Together. This independent film success of 2025 has now made its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it could look like typical physical horror, but beneath Together resides a deep contemplation about our choices in loving one another.
A Debut Feature Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for a decade. Having wed in reality in 2017, the two stars bring a special spark to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The story begins when Tim and Millie move from the big city to the rural area for her career. A familiar story element, sure, but that’s mostly where the conventions cease. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the two tumble into an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence takes hold of the couple. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a methodically building fright fest, weaving in elements of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and presents them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his floundering music career inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and distant from his support system. He fears the idea of completely losing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he can’t drive and relies on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie refrains from painting Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie face the sort of issues that come with any relationship over a long period. Deep down, they have affection for one another. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these concerns of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to another person, the allegory never feels overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, certain partners who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your other half and utter, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
