Here's a challenge for partners in committed relationships who enjoy the horror genre: Sit down with your partner and watch Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its streaming debut via Hulu. On the surface, it could look like typical biological terror, but beneath Together exists a deep meditation about how we choose to love each other.
A Directorial Debut Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for over ten years. Having wed in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a particular energy to their roles, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a long-term relationship.
The narrative starts when Tim and Millie transition from the urban environment to the country for her career. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, sure, but that’s mostly where the tropes conclude. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their country house, a storm hits, and the two tumble into an underground cave. After spending the night there and finally finding a way out, a supernatural entity begins influencing the pair. This force compels a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past typical partnership.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying horror experience, blending moments of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). The director skillfully blends these components seamlessly and wraps them up in a gradually swelling atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is suffering due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve left the city and far away from his social circle. He dreads the idea of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he can’t drive and relies on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he never makes Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie confront the sort of issues that arise in any relationship after ten years. At their core, they still love each other. They still laugh together, comfort one another, and open up at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these fears of codependency and totally devoting oneself to another person, the metaphor never feels hamfisted or heavy-handed. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal work together symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for remaining unattached. Conversely, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could act as a telling indicator of how you think about commitment. Will the finale inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply look at your partner and state, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an exploration you can embark on today.
Together is currently playing on the streaming service Hulu at present.
