Here's a dare for long-term couples who enjoy horror films: Sit down with your partner and stream Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it could look like typical biological terror, but within Together lies a intense meditation about how we choose to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together is the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for a decade. Having wed in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a particular energy to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The story starts when the couple transition from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A commonly used story element, admittedly, but that’s primarily where the cliches conclude. Together transforms into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists tumble into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence takes hold of the couple. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a slow burn fright fest, blending moments of fever-dream horrors, gross (but tastefully done) body horror, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes amidst something grotesque). The director orchestrates these parts seamlessly and presents them in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and removed from his support system. He is terrified of the concept of completely losing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is intensified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he never makes Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
Both characters grapple with the kind of problems that come with any relationship after ten years. Deep down, they have affection for one another. They still laugh together, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their bond.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these concerns of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the symbolism never feels clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal work together symbiotically.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have seen the movie as a strong argument for staying single. On the other hand, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could act as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending sow anxiety and horror, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your partner and state, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can experience right now.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform at present.
