We present a dare for long-term couples who are fans of the horror genre: Settle in with your partner and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its online premiere on Hulu. Outwardly, it might appear like typical body horror, but beneath Together lies a intense meditation about our choices in loving one another.
An Introductory Film Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have remained a couple for ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a special spark to their characters, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The story commences when Tim and Millie transition from the urban environment to the country for professional reasons. A familiar story element, sure, but that’s mostly where the tropes conclude. Together transforms into as much a psychological exploration of the partnership as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their rural residence, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim fall into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity begins influencing the duo. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The whole movie is a slow burn of scares, interspersing elements of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes amidst something horrific). The director skillfully blends these components seamlessly and presents them in a slowly mounting sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and distant from his network of friends. He fears the idea of completely losing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect in Together avoids making one partner or the other the obvious villain.
The couple grapple with the type of challenges that come with long-term unions after ten years. Deep down, they continue to care for each other. They find humor with each other, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these anxieties of codependency and totally devoting oneself to another person, the metaphor never feels hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal serve the other symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that unattached audience members have seen the movie as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, some couples having disagreements found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could potentially serve as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the finale plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your partner and state, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can experience at this very moment.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform at present.
