Here's a test for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of horror films: Settle in with your partner and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it may seem like standard body horror, but within Together exists a intense meditation about our choices in loving our partners.
A Debut Feature Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together represents the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have remained a couple for over ten years. United in marriage in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a particular energy to their characters, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The plot begins when Tim and Millie transition from the big city to the country for Millie’s job. A commonly used story element, admittedly, but that’s largely where the conventions end. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their country house, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim tumble into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence begins influencing the pair. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a methodically building horror experience, interspersing moments of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes amidst something disturbing). The director orchestrates these parts seamlessly and delivers them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his failing musical ambitions inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and distant from his support system. He fears the concept of totally forfeiting his sense of self in his partner. This fear is intensified by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect in Together refrains from painting either of his characters the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie face the type of challenges that come with most partnerships a decade in. Fundamentally, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these concerns of codependency and totally devoting oneself to another person, the allegory never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama serve the other in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have seen the movie as a strong argument for staying single. On the other hand, certain partners who were in conflict found that the film actually helped 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 sow anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your partner and state, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
