We present a challenge for partners in committed relationships who enjoy horror films: Settle in with your significant other and stream Together. This independent film success of 2025 has now made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it might appear like typical body horror, but inside Together lies a intense meditation about our choices in loving our partners.
A Debut Feature Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together marks the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for a decade. Married in reality in 2017, the two stars infuse a unique chemistry to their characters, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The plot begins when Millie and Tim relocate from the urban environment to the countryside for Millie’s job. A commonly used plot device, of course, but that’s largely where the tropes conclude. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the partnership as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After spending the night there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity starts to affect the duo. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The entire film is a slow burn of scares, interspersing bits of fever-dream horrors, gross (but never too gross) body horror, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes during something horrific). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together expertly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Millie’s confidence and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and far away from his network of friends. He is terrified of the notion of totally forfeiting his individual identity in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie avoids making one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie confront the kind of problems that arise in any relationship after ten years. At their core, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the paranormal elements in Together represent these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to a partner, the symbolism never feels clumsy or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama work together symbiotically.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a powerful case for remaining unattached. Conversely, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could function as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the ending inspire anxiety and horror, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your other half and say, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can undertake today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
