Consider this a challenge for long-term couples who are fans of scary movies: Get comfortable with your loved one and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit recently had its streaming debut on Hulu. On the surface, it may seem like typical biological terror, but inside Together exists a profound examination about how we choose to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker 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. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their characters, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The narrative commences when Millie and Tim move from the urban environment to the country for Millie’s job. A familiar story element, of course, but that’s largely where the cliches cease. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the two tumble into an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence starts to affect the duo. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The entire film is a slow burn fright fest, weaving in moments of dreamlike terrors, gross (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes during something disturbing). Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and presents them in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A great deal of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and removed from his support system. He dreads the notion of totally forfeiting his individual identity in his partner. This fear is intensified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect in Together avoids making either of his characters the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie confront the kind of problems that arise in long-term unions after ten years. Deep down, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these concerns of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the allegory never feels clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights serve the other symbiotically.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, certain partners having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply look at your significant other and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
