We present a dare for long-term couples who enjoy scary movies: Sit down with your partner and watch Together. This critically acclaimed 2025 movie has now made its online premiere via Hulu. On the surface, it might appear like conventional biological terror, but within Together resides a intense contemplation about how we choose to love one another.
A Debut Feature Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together marks the introductory feature for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It showcases Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have been together for over ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a special spark to their roles, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a committed partnership.
The narrative commences when Tim and Millie relocate from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A commonly used narrative setup, of course, but that’s mostly where the cliches cease. Together transforms into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Paranormal Spark
While hiking near their rural residence, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim tumble into an underground cave. After spending the night there and eventually escaping, a strange force takes hold of the pair. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond simple connection.
The entire film is a methodically building of scares, weaving in elements of fever-dream horrors, unsettling (but never too gross) body horror, and surprisingly comedic exchanges (sometimes in the middle of something horrific). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and presents them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Layered Performances
A large part of Together is solely the performances of its stars, and they deftly portray manifold depths to the characters’ relationship. Millie's sense of self and feeling of intimacy is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to pursue anything but his struggling artistic pursuits slowly bubbles to the surface.
Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and removed from his social circle. He is terrified of the concept of completely losing his individual identity in another person. This fear is amplified by the reality he can’t drive and is dependent on Millie for transportation.
The film's most intelligent aspect in this movie avoids making one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Tim and Millie face the type of challenges that come with long-term unions a decade in. At their core, they still love each other. They still laugh together, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But beneath it all, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their future together.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together act as a metaphor for these anxieties of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to a partner, the allegory never feels overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes provide a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the horror and the drama serve the other symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about unhealthy partnerships. It has been said that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a strong argument for remaining unattached. On the other hand, certain partners experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to make up.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could function as a telling indicator of how you perceive partnership. Will the finale inspire feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply look at your partner and state, “We could get through that together”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can embark on today.
Together is available to watch on Hulu as of this moment.
