Here's a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate horror films: Get comfortable with your significant other and stream Together. This independent film success of 2025 just made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. On the surface, it could look like typical biological terror, but within Together exists a deep examination about our choices in loving each other.
A Directorial Debut Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together is the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have been together for over ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, the two stars infuse a unique chemistry to their characters, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The plot commences when Millie and Tim relocate from the metropolis to the countryside for Millie’s job. A commonly used plot device, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the cliches conclude. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their country house, a storm hits, and the two fall into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a strange force starts to affect the pair. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The whole movie is a slow burn fright fest, weaving in moments of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes during something grotesque). Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is exclusively the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his floundering music career gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and removed from his network of friends. He is terrified of the concept of totally forfeiting his sense of self in another person. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he can’t drive and relies on Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he avoids making either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Both characters confront the type of challenges that arise in most partnerships a decade in. At their core, they have affection for one another. They still laugh together, offer support, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to another person, the metaphor never feels hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other symbiotically.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, some couples having disagreements found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own response could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the finale sow anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your other half and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can embark on today.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform at present.
