Consider this a test for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate scary movies: Settle in with your loved one and stream Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its online premiere on Hulu. Outwardly, it could look like typical physical horror, but within Together resides a intense contemplation about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Debut Feature Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together is the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It showcases actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have been together for a decade. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the actors bring a unique chemistry to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The plot begins when Tim and Millie move from the big city to the country for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, of course, but that’s primarily where the tropes end. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the two tumble into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a strange force starts to affect the duo. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a slow burn of scares, blending bits of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes amidst something grotesque). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and wraps them up in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his floundering music career gradually emerges.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and far away from his network of friends. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is intensified by the fact he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie never makes one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie grapple with the kind of problems that arise in any relationship over a long period. Fundamentally, they continue to care for one another. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory never feels overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a powerful case for remaining unattached. Conversely, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could function as a telling indicator of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you see yourself in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your significant other and state, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can experience today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu as of this moment.
