We present a dare for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of scary movies: Get comfortable with your significant other and stream Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its online premiere on Hulu. On the surface, it could look like standard biological terror, but inside Together lies a deep examination about the ways we decide to love each other.
An Introductory Film Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for a decade. Having wed in actuality in 2017, the two stars bring a unique chemistry to their characters, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The narrative commences when Millie and Tim relocate from the urban environment to the country for her career. A familiar narrative setup, admittedly, 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 body horror flick.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their new home, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim discover an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence takes hold of the duo. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past simple connection.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying of scares, interspersing moments of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes amidst something horrific). Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and delivers them in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A great deal of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and removed from his social circle. He dreads the notion of totally forfeiting his individual identity in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie never makes either of his characters the obvious villain.
Both characters grapple with the sort of issues that come with long-term unions after ten years. Deep down, they have affection for each other. They still laugh together, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of excessive reliance and fully committing to a partner, the metaphor does not come across as clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, 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 seen the movie as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own reaction could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the finale plant anxiety and horror, 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 utter, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can undertake today.
Together is streaming on Hulu as of this moment.
