Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who enjoy scary movies: Get comfortable with your loved one and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its online premiere via Hulu. Outwardly, it might appear like typical physical horror, but inside Together lies a intense examination about the ways we decide to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together marks the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for a decade. Having wed in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a unique chemistry to their roles, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The plot starts when Tim and Millie transition from the urban environment to the country for her career. A familiar story element, admittedly, but that’s largely where the tropes end. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists tumble into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity begins influencing the couple. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a methodically building fright fest, weaving in elements of dreamlike terrors, gross (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). The director orchestrates these parts neatly and delivers them in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and far away from his social circle. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he avoids making either of his characters the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie confront the kind of problems that arise in long-term unions a decade in. Deep down, they still love each other. They still laugh together, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these fears of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the symbolism avoids being hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Conversely, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could act as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your significant other and say, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can embark on today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu now.
