Consider this a challenge for long-term couples who are fans of horror films: Get comfortable with your loved one and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 recently had its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it might appear like typical body horror, but inside Together resides a deep examination about the ways we decide to love each other.
A Debut Feature Investigating The Nuances of Love
Together is the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It stars actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for over ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, the actors bring a particular energy to their roles, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The narrative begins when Millie and Tim move from the big city to the country for her career. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, of course, but that’s largely where the conventions cease. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the partnership as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their rural residence, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim discover an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence takes hold of the duo. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The complete narrative is a gradually intensifying horror experience, blending moments of hallucinatory nightmares, disturbing (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes amidst something grotesque). Shanks orchestrates these parts neatly and delivers them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is waning due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career inexorably rises.
Tim, on the other hand senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and far away from his support system. He is terrified of the idea of totally forfeiting his individual identity in Millie. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he lacks a driver's license and relies on Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision is that he refrains from painting Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.
Both characters confront the type of challenges that arise in long-term unions over a long period. Deep down, they continue to care for one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their bond.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of codependency and fully committing to another person, the allegory never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a brilliant analogue to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a powerful case for remaining unattached. On the other hand, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could act as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the finale plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in Tim or Millie and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your significant other and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can experience today.
Together is currently playing on Hulu as of this moment.
