Here's a dare for partners in committed relationships who enjoy scary movies: Get comfortable with your significant other and stream Together. This independent film success of 2025 just made its online premiere on the Hulu service. On the surface, it may seem like typical physical horror, but within Together lies a profound meditation about how we choose to love our partners.
An Introductory Film Exploring The Nuances of Love
Together marks the introductory feature for director Michael Shanks. It features the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have been together for a decade. United in marriage in actuality in 2017, the two stars bring a particular energy to their characters, masterfully depicting both the good and bad of a committed partnership.
The plot begins when the couple relocate from the big city to the countryside for professional reasons. A commonly used plot device, admittedly, but that’s primarily where the cliches conclude. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the partnership as it is a film about physical terror.
A Paranormal Spark
While trekking near their new home, a tempest descends, and the protagonists tumble into an subterranean cavern. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity takes hold of the couple. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding simple connection.
The entire film is a methodically building fright fest, weaving in elements of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but never too gross) physical transformations, and authentically humorous exchanges (sometimes during something grotesque). Michael Shanks skillfully blends these components expertly and delivers them in a consistently growing sense of impending doom.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the characters’ relationship. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is waning due to a distance. Her underlying frustration of Tim for his hesitance to chase only his struggling artistic pursuits inexorably rises.
Conversely, Tim senses confinement and cut off by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and distant from his support system. He fears the notion of completely losing his sense of self in another person. This fear is intensified by the circumstance he can’t drive and relies on Millie for getting around.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he never makes one partner or the other the definite antagonist.
Both characters face the kind of problems that are inherent in most partnerships a decade in. Deep down, they have affection for each other. They share moments of joy, comfort one another, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an inescapable current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the otherworldly presence in Together represent these anxieties of codependency and giving oneself over to a partner, the symbolism never feels clumsy or self-important. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments offer a ideal counterpart to the interpersonal storytelling. Both the horror and the drama work together symbiotically.
A Divisive Ending
Together’s final act, which remains unspoiled, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about enmeshed dynamics. Accounts suggest that single viewers have seen the movie as a powerful case for staying single. Meanwhile, some couples experiencing tension found that the film ended up guiding them to reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own interpretation could function as a telling indicator of how you perceive partnership. Will the conclusion sow feelings of uneasiness and dread, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you identify in either protagonist and scream at your TV, or simply look at your significant other and state, “I understand that choice”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an experiment you can experience at this very moment.
Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform at present.
