We present a dare for partners in committed relationships who enjoy horror films: Get comfortable with your partner and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 recently had its streaming debut on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it may seem like standard body horror, but beneath Together resides a deep examination about the ways we decide to love one another.
An Introductory Film Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together marks the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for over ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the two stars infuse a unique chemistry to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The story starts when Millie and Tim move from the metropolis to the country for her career. A commonly used plot device, admittedly, but that’s primarily where the tropes conclude. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their new home, a storm hits, and the protagonists tumble into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a strange force takes hold of the pair. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a slow burn horror experience, weaving in elements of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny exchanges (sometimes during something horrific). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the notion of completely losing his sense of self in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision is that he avoids making one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Both characters grapple with the sort of issues that are inherent in most partnerships after ten years. Deep down, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, offer support, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to another person, the symbolism avoids being overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal serve the other symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which remains unspoiled, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could function as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply turn to your partner and utter, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu as of this moment.
