Consider this a challenge for partners in committed relationships who are fans of the horror genre: Settle in with your partner and stream Together. This independent film success of 2025 has now made its launch on a streaming platform on the Hulu service. Outwardly, it may seem like typical physical horror, but within Together exists a deep examination about the ways we decide to love one another.
A Debut Feature Exploring Partnership Complexities
Together represents the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have remained a couple for a decade. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the actors contribute a unique chemistry to their roles, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The narrative begins when Millie and Tim move from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical story element, of course, but that’s mostly where the tropes end. Together becomes as much a examination of mental states of the pair’s relationship as it is a body horror flick.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While hiking near their country house, a tempest descends, and Millie and Tim discover an hole in the earth. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a strange force takes hold of the couple. This force induces a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding emotional intimacy.
The entire film is a gradually intensifying of scares, blending elements of fever-dream horrors, gross (but not excessively graphic) body horror, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes amidst something disturbing). The director skillfully blends these components neatly and presents them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Complex Characterizations
A significant portion of Together is exclusively the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his unwillingness to pursue anything but his failing musical ambitions slowly bubbles to the surface.
Conversely, Tim experiences isolation and separated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve relocated rural and removed from his social circle. He dreads the idea of completely losing his sense of self in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the circumstance he can’t drive and needs Millie for getting around.
Shanks’ smartest move in this movie avoids making one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Both characters face the type of challenges that come with any relationship a decade in. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They find humor with each other, offer support, and are vulnerable at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these concerns of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the allegory never feels hamfisted or self-important. Instead, these visceral horror elements provide a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights work together symbiotically.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the movie's final takeaway about unhealthy partnerships. Reports indicate that unattached audience members have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, a few pairs experiencing tension found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could act as a telling indicator of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion inspire a sense of discomfort and fear, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply turn to your significant other and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an exploration you can experience at this very moment.
Together is streaming on Hulu's platform at present.
