Here's a test for long-term couples who enjoy scary movies: Settle in with your partner and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. Outwardly, it might appear like conventional physical horror, but beneath Together lies a profound contemplation about how we choose to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together marks the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for a decade. United in marriage in real life in 2017, the two stars infuse a particular energy to their characters, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The plot begins when the couple transition from the big city to the rural area for professional reasons. A familiar story element, of course, but that’s primarily where the tropes conclude. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the two discover an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity takes hold of the duo. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying fright fest, weaving in elements of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but never too gross) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes during something horrific). The director skillfully blends these components neatly and wraps them up in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his floundering music career gradually emerges.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and removed from his support system. He fears the concept of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is intensified by the fact he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie never makes one partner or the other the obvious villain.
The couple face the sort of issues that are inherent in any relationship a decade in. Fundamentally, they have affection for each other. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of codependency and fully committing to another person, the allegory avoids being hamfisted or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights work together symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could act as a revealing measure of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion inspire anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply look at your other half and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
