We present a test for long-term couples who enjoy scary movies: Get comfortable with your partner and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 has now made its streaming debut on the Hulu service. At first glance, it may seem like standard biological terror, but inside Together exists a deep contemplation about our choices in loving one another.
A Directorial Debut Delving into Partnership Complexities
Together is the first full-length movie for director Michael Shanks. It showcases the real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Millie and Tim, partners that have remained a couple for a decade. Married in reality in 2017, the two stars infuse a particular energy to their characters, masterfully depicting both the strengths and weaknesses of a long-term relationship.
The plot begins when Millie and Tim transition from the metropolis to the rural area for Millie’s job. A somewhat stereotypical narrative setup, of course, but that’s mostly where the tropes end. Together evolves into as much a deep dive into the psyche of the couple's dynamic as it is a movie featuring biological frights.
An Otherworldly Trigger
While trekking near their rural residence, a violent storm occurs, and the protagonists fall into an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and eventually escaping, a supernatural entity begins influencing the duo. This force compels a otherworldly bond between them that goes far beyond typical partnership.
The complete narrative is a methodically building of scares, blending bits of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but not excessively graphic) physical transformations, and genuinely funny dialogue (sometimes during something disturbing). Shanks skillfully blends these components expertly and presents them in a consistently growing atmosphere of fear.
Layered Performances
A significant portion of Together is solely Brie and Franco, and they deftly portray numerous complexities to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and emotional bond is deteriorating due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his unwillingness to focus on anything other than his failing musical ambitions slowly bubbles to the surface.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and far away from his social circle. He dreads the idea of utterly sacrificing his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the reality he does not operate a vehicle and needs Millie for mobility.
The film's most intelligent aspect is that he refrains from painting one partner or the other the obvious villain.
Both characters grapple with the type of challenges that are inherent in any relationship a decade in. At their core, they continue to care for one another. They still laugh together, provide solace, and share intimately at times. But below this facade, there’s an inescapable feeling of questioning about their future together.
Allegory and Meaning
While the paranormal elements in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of excessive reliance and totally devoting oneself to a partner, the metaphor does not come across as clumsy or heavy-handed. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a ideal counterpart to the relationship narrative. Both the supernatural and the personal enhance each other in a mutually beneficial way.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which remains unspoiled, has created disagreement on the story's concluding statement about codependent relationships. Reports indicate that single viewers have seen the movie as a powerful case for avoiding commitment. Conversely, some couples who were in conflict found that the film ultimately assisted them reconcile.
Whether you’re single or coupled up, your own response could function as a revealing measure of how you think about commitment. Will the finale sow anxiety and horror, or a heartwarming sense of hope? Will you identify in either protagonist and feel frustration, or simply look at your significant other and state, “I’d do that for you”?
Regardless of the outcome, Together is an exploration you can undertake right now.
Together is available to watch on Hulu now.
