Here's a challenge for long-term couples who enjoy scary movies: Sit down with your partner and view Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie recently had its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it could look like conventional biological terror, but beneath Together exists a deep contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.
A Debut Feature Delving into The Nuances of Love
Together marks the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have been together for over ten years. United in marriage in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie bring a unique chemistry to their roles, expertly portraying both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The plot commences when Tim and Millie move from the big city to the countryside for her career. A commonly used story element, of course, but that’s largely where the cliches cease. Together becomes as much a deep dive into the psyche of the pair’s relationship as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
A Supernatural Catalyst
While trekking near their new home, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim discover an hole in the earth. After a night spent there and eventually escaping, a mysterious influence starts to affect the pair. This force creates a otherworldly bond between them that goes exceeding typical partnership.
The entire film is a slow burn fright fest, weaving in elements of dreamlike terrors, disturbing (but tastefully done) biological grotesqueries, and authentically humorous interactions (sometimes during something disturbing). The director orchestrates these parts seamlessly and wraps them up in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Nuanced Portrayals
A significant portion of Together is only the performances of its stars, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths 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 failing musical ambitions inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character senses confinement and isolated by Millie, who’s the cause they’ve relocated rural and removed from his network of friends. He fears the concept of totally forfeiting his individual identity in another person. This fear is intensified by the fact he does not operate a vehicle and is dependent on Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision is that he avoids making one partner or the other the clear bad guy.
Both characters confront the sort of issues that come with any relationship a decade in. At their core, they still love one another. They find humor with each other, provide solace, and open up at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent feeling of questioning about their bond.
Allegory and Meaning
While the otherworldly presence in Together symbolize these concerns of unhealthy attachment and totally devoting oneself to another person, the metaphor does not come across as overly obvious or self-important. Instead, these more disturbing, unsettling scenes present a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Controversial Conclusion
Together’s final act, which won’t be spoiled here, has left audiences divided on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. It has been said that unattached audience members have seen the movie as a compelling reason for avoiding commitment. Conversely, a few pairs having disagreements found that the film actually helped them reconcile.
Regardless of your relationship status, your own reaction could potentially serve as a telling indicator of how you view relationships. Will the finale sow anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in Tim or Millie and feel frustration, or simply glance toward your partner and state, “I understand that choice”?
No matter your reaction, Together is an test you can embark on today.
Together is streaming on Hulu at present.