We present a challenge for long-term couples who appreciate scary movies: Settle in with your partner and view Together. The independent film success of 2025 has now made its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like standard physical horror, but inside Together resides a profound examination about our choices in loving our partners.
A Directorial Debut Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together represents the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for over ten years. Married in real life in 2017, the actors infuse a special spark to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The plot begins when the couple relocate from the urban environment to the country for her career. A familiar plot device, of course, but that’s primarily where the conventions conclude. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their country house, a storm hits, and the protagonists tumble into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and finally finding a way out, a strange force starts to affect the duo. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a slow burn of scares, blending moments of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but tastefully done) body horror, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). The director weaves these elements together neatly and delivers them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Complex Characterizations
A great deal of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they deftly portray countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and removed from his social circle. He is terrified of the idea of completely losing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie never makes either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Both characters face the kind of problems that are inherent in most partnerships after ten years. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of codependency and giving oneself over to another person, the symbolism avoids being hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights serve the other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for staying single. Conversely, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could function as a telling indicator of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply look at your other half and say, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu as of this moment.
