We present a test for long-term couples who are fans of scary movies: Sit down with your partner and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its launch on a streaming platform via Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like typical body horror, but inside Together resides a profound contemplation about how we choose to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It showcases actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have been together for over ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a particular energy to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The story commences when the couple move from the urban environment to the countryside for Millie’s job. A commonly used story element, of course, but that’s largely where the cliches end. Together evolves into as much a examination of mental states of the partnership as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a strange force starts to affect the duo. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The complete narrative is a methodically building of scares, weaving in elements of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) body horror, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes during something disturbing). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they masterfully render countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his failing musical ambitions slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve relocated rural and far away from his support system. He dreads the concept of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is amplified by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie never makes Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Both characters grapple with the type of challenges that arise in any relationship after ten years. At their core, they have affection for one another. They share moments of joy, offer support, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these anxieties of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the allegory never feels hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama serve the other in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that single viewers have seen the movie as a strong argument for staying single. Conversely, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could act as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the ending plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your significant other and state, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can undertake right now.
Together is streaming on Hulu as of this moment.
