Consider this a test for partners in committed relationships who are fans of scary movies: Sit down with your partner and watch Together. The independent film success of 2025 just made its online premiere via Hulu. Outwardly, it could look like typical physical horror, but inside Together exists a deep examination about the ways we decide to love each other.
An Introductory Film Delving into Relationship Dynamics
Together is the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, partners that have been together for over ten years. Married in actuality in 2017, the two stars contribute a special spark to their characters, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The story starts when the couple relocate from the metropolis to the countryside for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, sure, but that’s mostly where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While walking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the two fall into an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a mysterious influence starts to affect the pair. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The whole movie is a slow burn horror experience, weaving in elements of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but not excessively graphic) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes during something grotesque). The director skillfully blends these components expertly and presents them in a slowly mounting sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is suffering due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his floundering music career gradually emerges.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and distant from his social circle. He dreads the notion of completely losing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
The director's cleverest decision in Together refrains from painting one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Tim and Millie grapple with the sort of issues that are inherent in any relationship after ten years. Deep down, they have affection for one another. They find humor with each other, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to another person, the symbolism never feels clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights serve the other symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that single viewers have seen the movie as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Conversely, some couples having disagreements found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could potentially serve as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the finale inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in one of the characters and scream at your TV, or simply glance toward your partner and say, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can undertake right now.
Together is currently playing on Hulu's platform at present.
