Here's a challenge for partners in committed relationships who appreciate the horror genre: Settle in with your significant other and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its streaming debut on Hulu. Outwardly, it might appear like standard physical horror, but within Together lies a deep meditation about how we choose to love one another.
A Debut Feature Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, partners that have been together for over ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the two stars contribute a particular energy to their characters, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The plot begins when Tim and Millie relocate from the urban environment to the countryside for Millie’s job. A familiar plot device, of course, but that’s largely where the tropes 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 hiking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and Millie and Tim discover an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a strange force starts to affect the couple. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying of scares, interspersing elements of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). The director orchestrates these parts seamlessly and presents them in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they masterfully render countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is suffering due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and far away from his network of friends. He dreads the concept of totally forfeiting his sense of self in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in Together never makes either of his characters the obvious villain.
The couple face the kind of problems that are inherent in long-term unions after ten years. Deep down, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their bond.
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 clumsy or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama serve the other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could function as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your partner and utter, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can embark on today.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
