Consider this a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy horror films: Sit down with your significant other and stream Together. This independent film success of 2025 has now made its online premiere on the Hulu service. On the surface, it may seem like conventional body horror, but beneath Together lies a deep meditation about how we choose to love our partners.
A Debut Feature Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together is the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It showcases actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for over ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, the two stars bring a particular energy to their roles, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The story starts when Millie and Tim relocate from the metropolis to the country for her career. A familiar story element, of course, but that’s largely where the tropes end. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their new home, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim fall into an underground cave. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity starts to affect the pair. This force compels a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a slow burn horror experience, interspersing elements of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but not excessively graphic) body horror, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes during something disturbing). The director skillfully blends these components expertly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting sense of impending doom.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and distant from his support system. He is terrified of the notion of completely losing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he can’t drive and relies on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he refrains from painting either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie confront the type of challenges that arise in any relationship a decade in. At their core, they have affection for each other. 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 relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these fears of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to another person, the symbolism never feels hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a perfect parallel to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply look at your partner and utter, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu as of this moment.
