We present a dare for partners in committed relationships who are fans of scary movies: Sit down with your partner and watch Together. This 2025 indie hit has now made its online premiere via Hulu. On the surface, it could look like standard physical horror, but within Together resides a deep meditation about our choices in loving one another.
A Debut Feature Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for over ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, the two stars bring a unique chemistry to their characters, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The story starts when Tim and Millie transition from the metropolis to the rural area for Millie’s job. A familiar narrative setup, of course, but that’s largely where the conventions end. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the two fall into an subterranean cavern. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a strange force begins influencing the pair. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The whole movie is a gradually intensifying horror experience, blending bits of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny exchanges (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 large part of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his failing musical ambitions inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve moved to the country and distant from his network of friends. He dreads the idea of completely losing his individual identity in another person. This fear is intensified by the fact he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
The film's most intelligent aspect in Together refrains from painting one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
The couple face the sort of issues that arise in long-term unions over a long period. Deep down, they continue to care for one another. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Thematic Depth
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to another person, the symbolism does not come across as overly obvious or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have seen the movie as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could act as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your partner and say, “I understand that choice”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can experience today.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu at present.
