Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who are fans of the horror genre: Sit down with your loved one and stream Together. This 2025 indie hit recently had its streaming debut on Hulu. At first glance, it might appear like standard body horror, but beneath Together lies a deep contemplation about our choices in loving our partners.
An Introductory Film Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have been together for over ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, the actors contribute a particular energy to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The plot commences when Tim and Millie move from the urban environment to the rural area for professional reasons. A commonly used narrative setup, of course, but that’s primarily where the cliches conclude. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the partnership as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their new home, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim discover an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a strange force starts to affect the pair. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The whole movie is a slow burn horror experience, weaving in moments of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). The director skillfully blends these components seamlessly and delivers them in a gradually swelling atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his floundering music career inexorably rises.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and distant from his support system. He dreads the idea of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he can’t drive and relies on Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie avoids making Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie confront the type of challenges that are inherent in any relationship over a long period. Fundamentally, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their bond.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these fears of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to a partner, the metaphor avoids being overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could act 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 recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your partner and utter, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can embark on right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu as of this moment.
