Here's a challenge for long-term couples who enjoy scary movies: Get comfortable with your partner and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 recently had its streaming debut on the Hulu service. On the surface, it may seem like conventional body horror, but beneath Together lies a profound examination about our choices in loving one another.
An Introductory Film Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together is the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie infuse a special spark to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The story starts when Tim and Millie transition from the big city to the country for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, of course, but that’s primarily where the tropes conclude. Together transforms into as much a psychological exploration of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the two fall into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity starts to affect the pair. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The entire film is a methodically building fright fest, interspersing moments of fever-dream horrors, gross (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes amidst something horrific). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts expertly and presents them in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and distant from his social circle. He dreads the idea of completely losing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is intensified by the fact he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision is that he refrains from painting one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
The couple grapple with the kind of problems that are inherent in long-term unions a decade in. Deep down, they continue to care for each other. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these concerns of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to a partner, the symbolism avoids being clumsy or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that single viewers have seen the movie as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. On the other hand, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could function as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion inspire anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your other half and say, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can undertake right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
