We present a test for long-term couples who appreciate the horror genre: Get comfortable with your loved one and view Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its streaming debut on Hulu. At first glance, it could look like typical body horror, but within Together resides a intense contemplation about the ways we decide to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together marks the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It showcases actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for ten years. United in marriage in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their portrayals, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The narrative starts when Tim and Millie move from the urban environment to the rural area for professional reasons. A familiar narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s largely where the tropes end. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists fall into an underground cave. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence starts to affect the duo. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past simple connection.
The whole movie is a methodically building of scares, weaving in bits of fever-dream horrors, gross (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes during something disturbing). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components neatly and presents them in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and far away from his support system. He fears the notion of completely losing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and relies on Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie never makes either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Both characters face the kind of problems that come with long-term unions over a long period. Deep down, they have affection for one another. They share moments of joy, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their bond.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these anxieties of codependency and fully committing to another person, the metaphor never feels clumsy or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama serve the other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for staying single. Conversely, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion sow anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your significant other and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can embark on today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
