Here's a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy horror films: Sit down with your partner and stream Together. This independent film success of 2025 just made its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. Outwardly, it may seem like conventional physical horror, but beneath Together lies a intense contemplation about how we choose to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together marks the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have been together for a decade. Married in real life in 2017, the actors bring a unique chemistry to their roles, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The story starts when Millie and Tim move from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, of course, but that’s mostly where the tropes end. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the partnership as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their rural residence, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim fall into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence starts to affect the duo. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying horror experience, weaving in elements of fever-dream horrors, gross (but tastefully done) body horror, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes during something horrific). Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and removed from his social circle. He fears the concept of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together avoids making either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Both characters grapple with the sort of issues that are inherent in any relationship over a long period. Fundamentally, they have affection for each other. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their bond.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these concerns of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to a partner, the allegory does not come across as clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that single viewers have seen the movie as a powerful case for staying single. On the other hand, some couples who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could act as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the ending sow anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply look at your other half and utter, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can experience right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
