Here's a test for partners in committed relationships who appreciate scary movies: Settle in with your loved one and stream Together. This 2025 indie hit just made its streaming debut via Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like conventional physical horror, but within Together resides a profound examination about our choices in loving each other.
A Debut Feature Investigating Relationship Dynamics
Together is the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, a pair who are not married that have remained a couple for ten years. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the two stars infuse a unique chemistry to their characters, skillfully embodying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The story commences when Tim and Millie move from the metropolis to the countryside for her career. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, admittedly, but that’s mostly where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their rural residence, a storm hits, and the protagonists fall into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and managing to escape, a supernatural entity starts to affect the couple. This force creates a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The complete narrative is a methodically building of scares, blending moments of fever-dream horrors, gross (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous dialogue (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). The director weaves these elements together expertly and delivers them in a slowly mounting atmosphere of fear.
Complex Characterizations
A great deal of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is deteriorating due to a emotional and physical gap. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his hesitance to focus on anything other than his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and cut off by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve moved to the country and far away from his social circle. He dreads the idea of completely losing his sense of self in Millie. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he can’t drive and needs Millie for transportation.
Shanks’ smartest move is that he never makes Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
Tim and Millie grapple with the type of challenges that arise in most partnerships over a long period. Deep down, they still love one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an persistent undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these anxieties of codependency and fully committing to a partner, the symbolism never feels overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in harmony.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s conclusion, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have seen the movie as a compelling reason for remaining unattached. Conversely, some couples experiencing tension found that the film actually helped them resolve their issues.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own reaction could act as a revealing measure of how you view relationships. Will the finale plant a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you recognize your own traits in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply turn to your partner and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an experiment you can undertake today.
Together is available to watch on the streaming service Hulu now.
