Consider this a test for long-term couples who are fans of scary movies: Get comfortable with your partner and stream Together. This 2025 indie hit recently had its streaming debut on Hulu. On the surface, it may seem like typical physical horror, but within Together resides a deep meditation about our choices in loving one another.
An Introductory Film Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for a decade. Married in real life in 2017, the two stars infuse a special spark to their characters, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The narrative starts when Tim and Millie relocate from the metropolis to the countryside for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, sure, but that’s mostly where the tropes conclude. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and Millie and Tim discover an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a strange force begins influencing the pair. This force compels a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying of scares, blending moments of fever-dream horrors, gross (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). The director skillfully blends these components seamlessly and presents them in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A great deal of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and far away from his support system. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is amplified by the fact he can’t drive and relies on Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie refrains from painting either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie confront the sort of issues that arise in long-term unions a decade in. At their core, they continue to care for one another. They still laugh together, provide solace, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these concerns of codependency and giving oneself over to another person, the allegory never feels hamfisted or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a compelling reason for staying single. Meanwhile, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could act as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the ending inspire anxiety and horror, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply turn to your partner and utter, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu as of this moment.
