Consider this a test for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of horror films: Get comfortable with your loved one and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it could look like conventional physical horror, but beneath Together lies a deep meditation about how we choose to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together is the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have remained a couple for a decade. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the actors infuse a special spark to their characters, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The plot commences when the couple move from the big city to the countryside for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, sure, but that’s primarily where the conventions end. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists tumble into an subterranean cavern. After a night spent there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence starts to affect the pair. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The complete narrative is a methodically building fright fest, weaving in bits of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and delivers them in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and distant from his network of friends. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie never makes either of his characters the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie confront the kind of problems that come with most partnerships over a long period. At their core, they still love one another. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of codependency and fully committing to another person, the allegory does not come across as overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have understood the narrative as a powerful case for remaining unattached. Conversely, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film ended up guiding them to resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your significant other and utter, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can undertake today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
