Consider this a test for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy scary movies: Sit down with your significant other and view Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. At first glance, it might appear like standard physical horror, but inside Together exists a profound contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together is the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for over ten years. Having wed in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The narrative starts when Tim and Millie relocate from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A commonly used plot device, of course, but that’s primarily where the cliches end. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their country house, a storm hits, and the protagonists tumble into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a strange force begins influencing the pair. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying horror experience, blending bits of fever-dream horrors, gross (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes during something disturbing). Shanks weaves these elements together neatly and wraps them up in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his floundering music career inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and distant from his support system. He fears the concept of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is amplified by the fact he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together refrains from painting Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
Both characters confront the sort of issues that are inherent in most partnerships a decade in. Fundamentally, they continue to care for each other. They still laugh together, offer support, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to a partner, the metaphor never feels hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have seen the movie as a strong argument for staying single. On the other hand, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could act as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the ending sow anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your other half and state, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can experience right now.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
