We present a challenge for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of scary movies: Settle in with your partner and view Together. This independent film success of 2025 has now made its online premiere via Hulu. On the surface, it could look like standard biological terror, but beneath Together exists a deep meditation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together is the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have been together for over ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a special spark to their roles, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The narrative begins when Millie and Tim move from the big city to the countryside for Millie’s job. A familiar plot device, sure, but that’s largely 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.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While hiking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the two discover an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence begins influencing the duo. This force compels a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a methodically building fright fest, blending bits of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes amidst something horrific). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and wraps them up in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and sense of connection is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his floundering music career inexorably rises.
Tim, on the other hand experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and removed from his social circle. He dreads the idea of totally forfeiting his sense of self in Millie. This fear is intensified by the fact he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie never makes either of his characters the obvious villain.
The couple face the type of challenges that are inherent in most partnerships over a long period. Deep down, they have affection for one another. They still laugh together, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these concerns of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the allegory avoids being hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes offer a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama serve the other in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that those not in relationships have interpreted the film as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, some couples having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own response could potentially serve as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending sow anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply look at your significant other and state, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can undertake today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform now.
