We present a dare for long-term couples who appreciate horror films: Settle in with your significant other and watch Together. The independent film success of 2025 recently had its streaming debut on the Hulu service. At first glance, it could look like typical physical horror, but beneath Together exists a intense examination about the ways we decide to love each other.
An Introductory Film Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together marks the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a special spark to their characters, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The story begins when Millie and Tim move from the big city to the countryside for Millie’s job. A commonly used narrative setup, of course, but that’s largely where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their country house, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim fall into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity starts to affect the pair. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a slow burn fright fest, weaving in elements of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but tastefully done) body horror, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes during something grotesque). Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and presents them in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Complex Characterizations
A large part of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is suffering due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and far away from his support system. He is terrified of the idea of utterly sacrificing his individual identity in Millie. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he lacks a driver's license and needs Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he never makes Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie face the kind of problems that arise in any relationship over a long period. Fundamentally, they still love one another. They still laugh together, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory never feels hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these visceral horror elements offer a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights enhance each other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. Reports indicate that single viewers have understood the narrative as a powerful case for remaining unattached. On the other hand, certain partners having disagreements found that the film actually helped them make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could act as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the conclusion inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply turn to your partner and say, “I’d do that for you”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an experiment you can experience today.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu now.
