We present a test for partners in committed relationships who are fans of horror films: Settle in with your partner and view Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it could look like conventional physical horror, but within Together lies a deep examination about how we choose to love one another.
A Debut Feature Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together is the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for over ten years. Married in reality in 2017, the actors contribute a unique chemistry to their roles, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The plot starts when Millie and Tim move from the metropolis to the countryside for her career. A familiar plot device, of course, but that’s primarily where the conventions end. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the two discover an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a mysterious influence begins influencing the duo. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying of scares, blending moments of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but never too gross) physical transformations, and genuinely funny exchanges (sometimes amidst something horrific). Shanks skillfully blends these components expertly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is only the two lead actors, and they deftly portray countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie’s confidence 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 floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the idea of totally forfeiting his individual identity in his partner. This fear is intensified by the fact he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie avoids making either of his characters the definite antagonist.
The couple face the sort of issues that come with any relationship over a long period. Fundamentally, they continue to care for each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to another person, the symbolism does not come across as overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama work together in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have seen the movie as a strong argument for staying single. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could act as a telling indicator of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply look at your significant other and utter, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can embark on right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform at present.
