Consider this a dare for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy the horror genre: Settle in with your significant other and view Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its streaming debut on Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like typical body horror, but within Together lies a profound examination about our choices in loving one another.
A Debut Feature Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together represents the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have been together for ten years. Married in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a unique chemistry to their characters, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The plot commences when Millie and Tim relocate from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical story element, of course, but that’s mostly where the tropes end. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the partnership as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their country house, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim fall into an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity takes hold of the couple. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past simple connection.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying of scares, interspersing moments of dreamlike terrors, gross (but never too gross) physical transformations, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes during something horrific). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his failing musical ambitions gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve relocated rural and far away from his support system. He dreads the concept of completely losing his individual identity in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he never makes either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Both characters grapple with the type of challenges that arise in long-term unions after ten years. Fundamentally, they continue to care for one another. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable undercurrent of doubt about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these concerns of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the allegory never feels clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have interpreted the film as a powerful case for staying single. On the other hand, some couples having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the finale inspire anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your other half and say, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can undertake today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu now.
