Here's a test for partners in committed relationships who are fans of the horror genre: Sit down with your significant other and watch Together. This 2025 indie hit recently had its online premiere via Hulu. At first glance, it might appear like standard physical horror, but inside Together lies a deep examination about how we choose to love our partners.
A Debut Feature Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together represents the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for a decade. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a special spark to their roles, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The plot starts when Tim and Millie relocate from the big city to the country for professional reasons. A commonly used plot device, of course, but that’s primarily where the conventions cease. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and Millie and Tim fall into an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence takes hold of the duo. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying horror experience, interspersing moments of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes during something disturbing). The director weaves these elements together neatly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A great deal of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and removed from his support system. He dreads the idea of totally forfeiting his individual identity in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie never makes Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
The couple confront the sort of issues that are inherent in long-term unions after ten years. At their core, they still love one another. They share moments of joy, offer support, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these concerns of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the metaphor does not come across as overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, certain partners having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the ending inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your partner and utter, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can embark on today.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
