We present a dare for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate scary movies: Sit down with your partner and stream Together. This 2025 indie hit recently had its streaming debut via Hulu. At first glance, it could look like typical physical horror, but within Together exists a profound contemplation about our choices in loving one another.
A Debut Feature Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together represents the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a special spark to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The plot commences when Millie and Tim transition from the urban environment to the countryside for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical story element, sure, but that’s mostly where the conventions 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.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their country house, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim discover an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity takes hold of the couple. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying fright fest, interspersing moments of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and genuinely funny exchanges (sometimes during something grotesque). The director orchestrates these parts neatly and delivers them in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A great deal of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and distant from his social circle. He fears the idea of totally forfeiting his individual identity in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie avoids making Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
Both characters grapple with the kind of problems that are inherent in long-term unions a decade in. Deep down, they have affection for each other. They still laugh together, offer support, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together represent these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to another person, the allegory does not come across as hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements present a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. 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 unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a powerful case for remaining unattached. On the other hand, some couples who were in conflict found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could act as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the ending inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your other half and say, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can embark on today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
