We present a dare for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of scary movies: Sit down with your loved one and stream Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its streaming debut on Hulu. Outwardly, it may seem like typical body horror, but within Together lies a intense contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, the two stars bring a special spark to their characters, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a enduring union.
The narrative commences when Millie and Tim transition from the metropolis to the countryside for Millie’s job. A familiar narrative setup, of course, but that’s mostly where the tropes end. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the two fall into an underground cave. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a strange force takes hold of the pair. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying of scares, interspersing moments of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts expertly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they deftly portray countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and far away from his network of friends. He dreads the notion of totally forfeiting his individual identity in his partner. This fear is amplified by the fact he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision is that he never makes one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
The couple grapple with the sort of issues that arise in any relationship over a long period. Fundamentally, they continue to care for each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the metaphor avoids being overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama serve the other in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. It has been said that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you perceive partnership. Will the finale sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply turn to your other half and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can experience today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
