We present a dare for partners in committed relationships who are fans of the horror genre: Get comfortable with your loved one and view Together. This 2025 indie hit has now made its online premiere on Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like typical biological terror, but inside Together resides a deep contemplation about how we choose to love each other.
A Debut Feature Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together represents the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for ten years. Married in reality in 2017, the two stars bring a unique chemistry to their roles, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The story starts when the couple transition from the big city to the countryside for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical story element, sure, but that’s primarily where the tropes conclude. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence begins influencing the duo. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The whole movie is a methodically building horror experience, blending moments of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes amidst something horrific). The director orchestrates these parts expertly and presents them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and far away from his social circle. He is terrified of the notion of totally forfeiting his individual identity in Millie. This fear is intensified by the fact he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie never makes one partner or the other the obvious villain.
The couple confront the type of challenges that arise in long-term unions over a long period. Deep down, they still love each other. They still laugh together, provide solace, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their bond.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to another person, the allegory never feels clumsy or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama work together in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could function as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the ending plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply look at your other half and state, “We could get through that together”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on right now.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform now.
