Here's a dare for long-term couples who enjoy the horror genre: Sit down with your loved one and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit recently had its streaming debut on Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like standard physical horror, but beneath Together lies a deep meditation about our choices in loving each other.
An Introductory Film Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for a decade. Married in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a unique chemistry to their roles, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The narrative commences when the couple transition from the big city to the country for her career. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, of course, but that’s primarily where the tropes end. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the partnership as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the two tumble into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence begins influencing the pair. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a methodically building of scares, blending bits of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes during something horrific). The director weaves these elements together neatly and presents them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his failing musical ambitions gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and removed from his social circle. He is terrified of the notion of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in Millie. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he never makes one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
The couple face the sort of issues that are inherent in long-term unions over a long period. Fundamentally, they still love one another. They find humor with each other, offer support, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together represent these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to another person, the metaphor never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal work together symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that single viewers have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own response could act as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the ending plant anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your partner and utter, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an exploration you can experience at this very moment.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform now.
