Consider this a test for partners in committed relationships who enjoy scary movies: Sit down with your partner and view Together. The 2025 indie hit recently had its online premiere via Hulu. On the surface, it could look like conventional biological terror, but inside Together exists a deep examination about how we choose to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together represents the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Tim and Millie, partners that have remained a couple for ten years. Having wed in actuality in 2017, the actors bring a particular energy to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The narrative commences when the couple relocate from the big city to the countryside for professional reasons. A familiar narrative setup, of course, but that’s mostly where the cliches conclude. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their new home, a violent storm occurs, and the two discover an underground cave. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity starts to affect the duo. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The entire film is a methodically building of scares, interspersing moments of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). Shanks weaves these elements together neatly and presents them in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is exclusively 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 waning due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and removed from his network of friends. He dreads the concept of totally forfeiting his individual identity in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together avoids making one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Both characters face the kind of problems that are inherent in any relationship after ten years. At their core, they still love one another. They find humor with each other, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable feeling of questioning about their bond.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these fears of excessive reliance and fully committing to another person, the allegory does not come across as clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama work together in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could function as a revealing measure 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 Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply look at your other half and state, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can undertake today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
