We present a test for those in enduring partnerships who are fans of the horror genre: Get comfortable with your significant other and view Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie recently had its online premiere on Hulu. Outwardly, it might appear like standard biological terror, but beneath Together lies a profound meditation about our choices in loving one another.
An Introductory Film Exploring Partnership Complexities
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, an unmarried couple that have been together for a decade. Married in actuality in 2017, the actors infuse a particular energy to their characters, skillfully embodying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The plot begins when Tim and Millie relocate from the big city to the countryside for her career. A commonly used narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the conventions cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While walking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim fall into an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a strange force takes hold of the pair. This force creates a supernatural closeness between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a slow burn of scares, weaving in moments of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but never too gross) physical transformations, and genuinely funny interactions (sometimes during something grotesque). Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and delivers them in a gradually swelling sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they masterfully render manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is suffering due to a distance. Her subconscious resentment of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his failing musical ambitions 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 concept of totally forfeiting his individual identity in Millie. This fear is intensified by the reality he lacks a driver's license and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie never makes Tim or Millie the obvious villain.
The couple face the kind of problems that arise in any relationship over a long period. Deep down, they continue to care for each other. They still laugh together, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and fully committing to another person, the allegory avoids being hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments provide a perfect parallel to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama enhance each other symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. It has been said that single viewers have interpreted the film as a powerful case for staying single. Meanwhile, a few pairs who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could act as a great barometer of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion sow anxiety and horror, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in Tim or Millie and yell at the screen, or simply look at your significant other and utter, “We could get through that together”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an test you can embark on today.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform now.
