We present a test for long-term couples who enjoy horror films: Get comfortable with your partner and view Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. At first glance, it may seem like conventional biological terror, but inside Together exists a intense meditation about our choices in loving one another.
A Debut Feature Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have remained a couple for over ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The plot starts when Tim and Millie transition from the big city to the country for professional reasons. A commonly used narrative setup, sure, but that’s mostly where the tropes end. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their new home, a storm hits, and the protagonists fall into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence starts to affect the duo. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past simple connection.
The whole movie is a methodically building of scares, weaving in moments of fever-dream horrors, disturbing (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes amidst something grotesque). Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and delivers them in a slowly mounting sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his failing musical ambitions inexorably rises.
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 fears the notion of completely losing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is intensified by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie avoids making either of his characters the clear bad guy.
Both characters face the type of challenges that come with long-term unions over a long period. Deep down, they have affection for each other. They share moments of joy, offer support, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these fears of excessive reliance and fully committing to another person, the symbolism never feels overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. It has been said that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a powerful case for staying single. On the other hand, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could act as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the finale sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply look at your other half and utter, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can embark on today.
Together is streaming on Hulu at present.
