Consider this a test for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of scary movies: Settle in with your significant other and watch Together. The independent film success of 2025 recently had its online premiere on Hulu. At first glance, it could look like standard physical horror, but inside Together exists a deep examination about the ways we decide to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together represents the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as a couple named Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for over ten years. Married in reality in 2017, the two stars contribute a special spark to their characters, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The story commences when the couple move from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A familiar narrative setup, of course, but that’s mostly where the conventions end. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the two discover an underground cave. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a strange force starts to affect the duo. This force induces a supernatural closeness between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a slow burn of scares, interspersing elements of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something disturbing). The director weaves these elements together expertly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and far away from his support system. He dreads the concept of completely losing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he can’t drive and needs Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie never makes one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Both characters confront the kind of problems that come with long-term unions after ten years. Deep down, they still love one another. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their bond.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together symbolize these concerns of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the metaphor never feels clumsy or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for staying single. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could function as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the ending sow anxiety and horror, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your significant other and state, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can undertake today.
Together is streaming on Hulu at present.
