Here's a dare for long-term couples who appreciate horror films: Settle in with your partner and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its streaming debut via Hulu. Outwardly, it may seem like standard biological terror, but beneath Together resides a profound contemplation about our choices in loving one another.
An Introductory Film Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together is the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have been together for ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a special spark to their characters, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The narrative starts when Millie and Tim move from the urban environment to the country for her career. A commonly used narrative setup, of course, but that’s primarily where the tropes conclude. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the two tumble into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a strange force takes hold of the duo. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a slow burn horror experience, weaving in bits of fever-dream horrors, gross (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes during something disturbing). Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and delivers them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness 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 reason they’ve relocated rural and distant from his support system. He fears the idea of completely losing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect in Together refrains from painting either of his characters the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie face the sort of issues that arise in long-term unions a decade in. At their core, they still love one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of codependency and totally devoting oneself to another person, the metaphor does not come across as hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that single viewers have seen the movie as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Conversely, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could act as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply turn to your significant other and say, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can experience today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu at present.
