Here's a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate the horror genre: Settle in with your partner and watch Together. This 2025 indie hit recently had its streaming debut on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it could look like typical biological terror, but inside Together lies a intense examination about how we choose to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, the two stars bring a special spark to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The story commences when Millie and Tim relocate from the metropolis to the rural area for professional reasons. A commonly used plot device, sure, but that’s mostly where the conventions end. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While trekking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity begins influencing the pair. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The whole movie is a methodically building fright fest, weaving in moments of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Shanks weaves these elements together neatly and wraps them up in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve relocated rural and removed from his support system. He dreads the notion of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is intensified by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he avoids making one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie grapple with the type of challenges that arise in any relationship over a long period. Deep down, they continue to care for one another. They still laugh together, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these anxieties of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the allegory does not come across as overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a strong argument for remaining unattached. On the other hand, certain partners who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
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 plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply look at your partner and state, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can experience right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu now.
