We present a test for partners in committed relationships who appreciate the horror genre: Settle in with your loved one and watch Together. The independent film success of 2025 has now made its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it might appear like typical physical horror, but beneath Together resides a intense meditation about how we choose to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together marks the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for a decade. Having wed in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their roles, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a enduring union.
The story begins when the couple relocate from the urban environment to the countryside for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical story element, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the tropes cease. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists fall into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a strange force begins influencing the pair. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying horror experience, blending bits of dreamlike terrors, gross (but never too gross) body horror, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes amidst something grotesque). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components neatly and presents them in a gradually swelling atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the idea of completely losing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he can’t drive and needs Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie avoids making one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie grapple with the kind of problems that come with any relationship over a long period. Deep down, they continue to care for each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of codependency and fully committing to another person, the symbolism avoids being hamfisted or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that single viewers have interpreted the film as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Conversely, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could potentially serve as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the ending plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply look at your partner and state, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can undertake right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
