Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who appreciate horror films: Sit down with your significant other and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. On the surface, it could look like conventional physical horror, but inside Together resides a deep contemplation about our choices in loving each other.
A Debut Feature Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together is the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for over ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their characters, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The plot begins when Millie and Tim relocate from the urban environment to the country for professional reasons. A commonly used narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s largely where the conventions end. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While trekking near their rural residence, a tempest descends, and the two discover an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a strange force starts to affect the couple. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The entire film is a slow burn fright fest, weaving in moments of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and wraps them up in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is only the two lead actors, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his failing musical ambitions gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and far away from his support system. He fears the notion of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie refrains from painting either of his characters the obvious villain.
Both characters confront the type of challenges that come with long-term unions a decade in. Deep down, they continue to care for one another. They share moments of joy, offer support, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to another person, the symbolism never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. It has been said that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could act as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the ending sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your other half and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can experience at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on Hulu as of this moment.
