Here's a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate scary movies: Settle in with your partner and stream Together. This 2025 indie hit has now made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it may seem like typical physical horror, but within Together resides a deep examination about how we choose to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for a decade. Married in actuality in 2017, the two stars infuse a unique chemistry to their characters, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The plot begins when Millie and Tim relocate from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A commonly used narrative setup, sure, but that’s mostly where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the protagonists tumble into an underground cave. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity starts to affect the couple. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The whole movie is a slow burn fright fest, weaving in bits of fever-dream horrors, disturbing (but never too gross) body horror, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). The director weaves these elements together seamlessly and delivers them in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A great deal of Together is only the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and far away from his support system. He fears the notion of completely losing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for mobility.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie never makes Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie confront the type of challenges that are inherent in any relationship after ten years. Fundamentally, they continue to care for one another. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to another person, the symbolism does not come across as overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights serve the other symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Conversely, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the finale plant anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your other half and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu at present.
