Consider this a test for those in enduring partnerships who enjoy horror films: Get comfortable with your partner and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 has now made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. At first glance, it might appear like standard biological terror, but within Together resides a intense contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together is the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, partners that have stayed together for over ten years. Having wed in real life in 2017, the two stars infuse a particular energy to their portrayals, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a committed partnership.
The narrative begins when Millie and Tim move from the big city to the rural area for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s largely where the conventions conclude. Together becomes 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 storm hits, and the protagonists tumble into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity starts to affect the duo. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a slow burn of scares, interspersing elements of dreamlike terrors, gross (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes amidst something disturbing). Michael Shanks weaves these elements together seamlessly and delivers them in a gradually swelling aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is only Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the partnership at the film's core. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is suffering due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to pursue anything but his failing musical ambitions inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim feels trapped and cut off by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve left the city and removed from his network of friends. He fears the notion of utterly sacrificing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for getting around.
The director's cleverest decision in this movie never makes one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
Both characters confront the kind of problems that come with most partnerships a decade in. Fundamentally, they continue to care for one another. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and open up at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable current of uncertainty about their future together.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these fears of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the allegory never feels overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in harmony.
A Debated Finale
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. On the other hand, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own response could act as a telling indicator of how you perceive partnership. Will the ending plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply turn to your other half and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can experience today.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu now.
