We present a test for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy scary movies: Get comfortable with your significant other and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 recently had its launch on a streaming platform on Hulu. Outwardly, it may seem like standard physical horror, but beneath Together lies a deep contemplation about how we choose to love our partners.
A Debut Feature Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together is the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a special spark to their roles, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The narrative begins when the couple move from the urban environment to the country for her career. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, of course, but that’s largely where the conventions cease. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the two tumble into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity starts to affect the couple. This force compels a supernatural closeness between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The entire film is a slow burn horror experience, interspersing elements of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) body horror, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something grotesque). The director orchestrates these parts neatly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his floundering music career inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and far away from his network of friends. He fears the concept of completely losing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie avoids making Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie grapple with the type of challenges that are inherent in most partnerships over a long period. At their core, they continue to care for one another. They still laugh together, offer support, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory does not come across as clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a perfect parallel to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have understood the narrative as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your partner and say, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can experience right now.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu now.
