Consider this a test for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of scary movies: Settle in with your loved one and view Together. This independent film success of 2025 has now made its online premiere on Hulu. At first glance, it might appear like conventional physical horror, but beneath Together lies a profound contemplation about our choices in loving one another.
A Debut Feature Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together represents the debut feature-length film for director Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, the two stars contribute a special spark to their roles, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a enduring union.
The story starts when the couple transition from the urban environment to the country for her career. A commonly used plot device, sure, but that’s mostly where the conventions end. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the two fall into an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a mysterious influence starts to affect the duo. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The whole movie is a slow burn fright fest, weaving in bits of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes amidst something grotesque). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and distant from his support system. He fears the concept of completely losing his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is amplified by the fact he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together never makes either of his characters the definite antagonist.
Both characters grapple with the kind of problems that arise in long-term unions a decade in. At their core, they continue to care for each other. They still laugh together, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these fears of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory avoids being clumsy or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the supernatural and the personal serve the other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which remains unspoiled, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that those not in relationships have understood the narrative as a powerful case for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could function as a great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion sow anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your partner and say, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can experience today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform now.
