Consider this a dare for partners in committed relationships who enjoy scary movies: Get comfortable with your loved one and stream Together. The independent film success of 2025 has now made its online premiere on the Hulu service. At first glance, it could look like conventional physical horror, but within Together resides a profound meditation about how we choose to love our partners.
A Directorial Debut Investigating Partnership Complexities
Together marks the debut feature-length film for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as Millie and Tim, an unmarried couple that have stayed together for ten years. United in marriage in real life in 2017, the two stars bring a particular energy to their roles, expertly portraying both the joys and frustrations of a long-term relationship.
The story starts when the couple move from the urban environment to the rural area for Millie’s job. A commonly used plot device, sure, but that’s primarily where the tropes end. 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 hiking near their new home, a storm hits, and Millie and Tim fall into an subterranean cavern. After a night spent there and managing to escape, a strange force takes hold of the duo. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.
The whole movie is a methodically building horror experience, interspersing moments of dreamlike terrors, unsettling (but never too gross) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic interactions (sometimes during something disturbing). Michael Shanks orchestrates these parts seamlessly and wraps them up in a slowly mounting aura of dread.
Nuanced Portrayals
A large part of Together is only the two lead actors, and they skillfully illustrate countless layers to the dynamic between Tim and Millie. Her self-assurance and feeling of intimacy is suffering due to a distance. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his floundering music career inexorably rises.
In contrast, Tim's character experiences isolation and isolated by Millie, who’s the reason they’ve left the city and removed from his social circle. He is terrified of the notion of totally forfeiting his personal autonomy in his partner. This fear is further exacerbated by the fact he can’t drive and needs Millie for mobility.
The director's cleverest decision in Together refrains from painting Tim or Millie the definite antagonist.
The couple grapple with the sort of issues that are inherent in any relationship a decade in. At their core, they have affection for one another. They still laugh together, offer support, and share intimately at times. But under the surface, there’s an persistent current of uncertainty about their relationship.
Thematic Depth
While the paranormal elements in Together represent these concerns of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to another person, the allegory does not come across as overly obvious or pretentious. Instead, these visceral horror elements present a brilliant analogue to the character-driven drama. Both the frights and the fights work together symbiotically.
A Debated Finale
Together’s ending, which won’t be spoiled here, has sparked debate on the movie's final takeaway about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that single viewers have seen the movie as a strong argument for avoiding commitment. Meanwhile, 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 great barometer of how you think about commitment. Will the finale plant anxiety and horror, or a uplifting feeling of optimism? Will you see yourself in one of the characters and yell at the screen, or simply look at your significant other and say, “I’d do that for you”?
Whatever the case may be, Together is an exploration you can embark on at this very moment.
Together is streaming on the streaming service Hulu now.
