Here's a dare for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of the horror genre: Settle in with your partner and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut on Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like standard body horror, but beneath Together lies a intense meditation about our choices in loving each other.
An Introductory Film Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together marks the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have remained a couple for over ten years. United in marriage in reality in 2017, the two stars contribute a particular energy to their characters, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The story commences when Millie and Tim transition from the metropolis to the countryside for Millie’s job. A commonly used story element, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the conventions conclude. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the partnership as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While trekking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the two tumble into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a mysterious influence begins influencing the couple. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The whole movie is a slow burn of scares, weaving in bits of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes amidst something disturbing). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and presents them in a slowly mounting sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and removed from his social circle. He fears the concept of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is amplified by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together never makes one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Both characters grapple with the type of challenges that arise in any relationship a decade in. Fundamentally, they continue to care for each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the symbolism does not come across as clumsy or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that single viewers have understood the narrative as a powerful case for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, some couples experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could act as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the ending sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply look at your significant other and say, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can undertake right now.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
