Here's a dare for long-term couples who enjoy horror films: Settle in with your partner and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut on Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like typical physical horror, but beneath Together lies a deep contemplation about our choices in loving each other.
A Directorial Debut Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together marks the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for a decade. Having wed in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The plot starts when Millie and Tim move from the metropolis to the rural area for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the conventions conclude. Together evolves into as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists fall into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a strange force begins influencing the pair. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The complete narrative is a slow burn of scares, interspersing bits of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and presents them in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and distant from his social circle. He dreads the notion of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision is that he refrains from painting Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
Both characters grapple with the kind of problems that are inherent in most partnerships a decade in. Fundamentally, they continue to care for one another. They share moments of joy, 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 concerns of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the metaphor avoids being overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in harmony.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that single viewers have interpreted the film as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could act as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the ending plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your other half and say, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can undertake at this very moment.
Together is streaming on Hulu now.
