We present a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate scary movies: Settle in with your partner and watch Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie recently had its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it might appear like standard biological terror, but within Together exists a intense examination about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Directorial Debut Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together is the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for a decade. Married in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a special spark to their roles, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The story commences when Tim and Millie transition from the big city to the rural area for Millie’s job. A commonly used narrative setup, of course, but that’s largely where the tropes conclude. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the two tumble into an underground cave. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity starts to affect the couple. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying of scares, weaving in moments of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes during something disturbing). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and presents them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and far away from his social circle. He dreads the concept of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he can’t drive and needs Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision is that he never makes either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie grapple with the kind of problems that come with most partnerships a decade in. Deep down, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of excessive reliance and fully committing to another person, the metaphor never feels overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a perfect parallel to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that single viewers have understood the narrative as a strong argument for staying single. On the other hand, certain partners who were in conflict found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could potentially serve as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the finale sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your significant other and state, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can undertake today.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform at present.
