Here's a dare for those in enduring partnerships who appreciate the horror genre: Settle in with your partner and view Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its streaming debut on Hulu. At first glance, it might appear like typical physical horror, but inside Together lies a intense examination about the ways we decide to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together is the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have been together for a decade. United in marriage in real life in 2017, the actors bring a particular energy to their characters, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The plot begins when the couple move from the urban environment to the rural area for her career. A somewhat stereotypical story element, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their country house, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim tumble into an hole in the earth. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a strange force takes hold of the duo. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The entire film is a slow burn horror experience, blending moments of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but never too gross) physical transformations, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes amidst something horrific). Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and presents them in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his failing musical ambitions gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the idea of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in Together avoids making Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
The couple grapple with the sort of issues that come with any relationship a decade in. Deep down, they still love one another. They share moments of joy, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their bond.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the allegory does not come across as clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the horror and the drama work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a compelling reason for staying single. On the other hand, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could act as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the finale inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply look at your other half and state, “We could get through that together”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an exploration you can experience today.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu now.