We present a dare for long-term couples who appreciate scary movies: Settle in with your partner and watch Together. This independent film success of 2025 has now made its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it might appear like typical physical horror, but beneath Together exists a profound meditation about how we choose to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for ten years. Having wed in reality in 2017, the actors infuse a particular energy to their roles, skillfully embodying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The plot begins when Millie and Tim move from the big city to the country for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, sure, but that’s largely where the tropes conclude. Together evolves into as much a psychological exploration of the pair’s relationship as it is a film about physical terror.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their country house, a violent storm occurs, and Millie and Tim tumble into an subterranean cavern. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a mysterious influence begins influencing the pair. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes well past emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a methodically building of scares, blending elements of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes amidst something disturbing). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components seamlessly and delivers them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the characters’ relationship. Millie’s confidence and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to chase only his floundering music career gradually emerges.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and far away from his support system. He is terrified of the concept of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in Millie. This fear is intensified by the reality he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
Shanks’ smartest move in Together refrains from painting either of his characters the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie confront the kind of problems that are inherent in most partnerships over a long period. Fundamentally, they still love one another. They still laugh together, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these anxieties of excessive reliance and giving oneself over to another person, the metaphor never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a brilliant analogue to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that single viewers have interpreted the film as a powerful case for remaining unattached. Meanwhile, certain partners who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could function as a revealing measure of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion plant feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a positive outlook on love? Will you identify in one of the characters and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your partner and utter, “We could get through that together”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can experience right now.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu at present.
