We present a dare for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of horror films: Get comfortable with your partner and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its online premiere on the Hulu service. On the surface, it might appear like typical body horror, but within Together lies a intense examination about the ways we decide to love one another.
An Introductory Film Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, partners that have been together for a decade. Having wed in reality in 2017, the two stars infuse a unique chemistry to their roles, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The story begins when Millie and Tim transition from the metropolis to the rural area for her career. A commonly used plot device, admittedly, but that’s primarily where the cliches conclude. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the partnership as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While trekking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity takes hold of the couple. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a slow burn fright fest, blending bits of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) body horror, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components expertly and presents them in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A great deal of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is waning due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his floundering music career inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and far away from his network of friends. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he can’t drive and relies on Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie never makes either of his characters the clear bad guy.
The couple confront the kind of problems that come with any relationship after ten years. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these fears of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to a partner, the metaphor does not come across as hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that single viewers have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could act as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the ending sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your partner and say, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can experience at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform as of this moment.
