We present a test for long-term couples who enjoy scary movies: Get comfortable with your significant other and watch Together. The 2025 indie hit has now made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. At first glance, it could look like conventional biological terror, but beneath Together resides a profound meditation about how we choose to love our partners.
A Debut Feature Exploring Relationship Dynamics
Together marks the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have stayed together for a decade. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the actors bring a unique chemistry to their characters, masterfully depicting both the joys and frustrations of a enduring union.
The narrative starts when the couple relocate from the urban environment to the countryside for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical plot device, sure, but that’s mostly where the cliches end. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While walking near their country house, a tempest descends, and the two fall into an subterranean cavern. After spending the night there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity begins influencing the pair. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying horror experience, weaving in moments of hallucinatory nightmares, unsettling (but never too gross) biological grotesqueries, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes amidst something horrific). The director skillfully blends these components seamlessly and delivers them in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is solely the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Millie’s confidence and sense of connection is suffering due to a emotional and physical gap. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his reluctance to focus on anything other than his failing musical ambitions slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and removed from his social circle. He fears the concept of completely losing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he can’t drive and needs Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect in Together never makes either of his characters the definite antagonist.
The couple face the sort of issues that are inherent in long-term unions a decade in. Fundamentally, they continue to care for one another. They find humor with each other, offer support, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Symbolism and Metaphor
While the supernatural forces in Together represent these fears of excessive reliance and fully committing to a partner, the metaphor avoids being hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the film’s ultimate message about enmeshed dynamics. It has been said that single viewers have interpreted the film as a strong argument for staying single. On the other hand, some couples having disagreements found that the film actually helped them make up.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own interpretation could act as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the ending sow a sense of discomfort and fear, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you recognize your own traits in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your significant other and say, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can undertake right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu as of this moment.
