We present a dare for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy scary movies: Get comfortable with your partner and view Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. On the surface, it could look like conventional physical horror, but within Together lies a profound examination about how we choose to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together is the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It showcases 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 ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, the actors bring a unique chemistry to their roles, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The plot starts when Millie and Tim transition from the big city to the rural area for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical story element, of course, but that’s mostly where the tropes end. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists tumble into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity starts to affect the pair. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The whole movie is a methodically building of scares, weaving in bits of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Shanks skillfully blends these components neatly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Complex Characterizations
A great deal of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and distant from his social circle. He dreads the concept of completely losing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in Together avoids making Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
Both characters grapple with the type of challenges that are inherent in most partnerships after ten years. Fundamentally, they continue to care for each other. They share moments of joy, provide solace, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these concerns of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the metaphor never feels hamfisted or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a perfect parallel to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that single viewers have understood the narrative as a powerful case for remaining unattached. On the other hand, some couples having disagreements found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could act as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the finale sow anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply turn to your other half and say, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can undertake today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu now.
