Here's a challenge for long-term couples who enjoy scary movies: Settle in with your significant other and watch Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its streaming debut via Hulu. At first glance, it may seem like standard biological terror, but inside Together resides a profound contemplation about the ways we decide to love one another.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together represents the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for a decade. Having wed in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a special spark to their portrayals, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The plot starts when Millie and Tim move from the big city to the rural area for professional reasons. A commonly used story element, of course, but that’s primarily where the cliches end. Together evolves into as much a examination of mental states of the partnership as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their country house, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim tumble into an underground cave. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a strange force starts to affect the couple. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The complete narrative is a slow burn of scares, interspersing elements of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but never too gross) body horror, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes amidst something grotesque). The director skillfully blends these components seamlessly and delivers them in a consistently growing aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and removed from his network of friends. He is terrified of the concept of completely losing his personal autonomy in another person. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he can’t drive and needs Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie refrains from painting Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
Both characters confront the type of challenges that are inherent in any relationship over a long period. Deep down, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together symbolize these concerns of excessive reliance and fully committing to a partner, the allegory does not come across as clumsy or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal work together in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. Accounts suggest that unattached audience members have interpreted the film as a powerful case 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 reaction could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your other half and utter, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can embark on today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
