This New Horror Film Has Debuted on Streaming, and It Has the Power to Test Your Relationship.

Consider this a test for long-term couples who are fans of the horror genre: Get comfortable with your loved one and watch Together. The critically acclaimed 2025 movie just made its online premiere on Hulu. On the surface, it may seem like conventional biological terror, but beneath Together resides a deep contemplation about the ways we decide to love our partners.

An Introductory Film Investigating The Nuances of Love

Together is the first full-length movie for filmmaker Michael Shanks. It features actors Alison Brie and Dave Franco as a couple named Tim and Millie, a pair who are not married that have been together for a decade. Married in reality in 2017, Franco and Brie contribute a unique chemistry to their characters, expertly portraying both the good and bad of a committed partnership.

The narrative commences when the couple transition from the big city to the country for professional reasons. A somewhat stereotypical story element, of course, but that’s largely where the tropes conclude. Together evolves into as much a examination of mental states of the couple's dynamic as it is a body horror flick.

A Supernatural Catalyst

While trekking near their country house, a storm hits, and the protagonists discover an underground cave. After being trapped overnight there and finally finding a way out, a mysterious influence starts to affect the couple. This force induces a paranormal intimacy between them that goes far beyond emotional intimacy.

The entire film is a slow burn of scares, blending bits of hallucinatory nightmares, gross (but tastefully done) physical transformations, and surprisingly comedic dialogue (sometimes during something horrific). The director weaves these elements together seamlessly and presents them in a gradually swelling atmosphere of fear.

Complex Characterizations

A large part of Together is exclusively Brie and Franco, and they skillfully illustrate manifold depths to the partnership at the film's core. Her self-assurance and sense of connection is suffering due to a lack of intimacy. Her unspoken irritation of Tim for his reluctance to chase only his floundering music career slowly bubbles to the surface.

Tim, on the other hand feels trapped and separated by Millie, who’s the impetus they’ve moved to the country and distant from his social circle. He is terrified of the idea of totally forfeiting his sense of self in another person. This fear is amplified by the reality he can’t drive and relies on Millie for getting around.

The director's cleverest decision in Together avoids making Tim or Millie the clear bad guy.

Tim and Millie face the kind of problems that come with any relationship after ten years. Fundamentally, they still love each other. They share moments of joy, provide solace, and are vulnerable at times. But below this facade, there’s an unavoidable undercurrent of doubt about their relationship.

Symbolism and Metaphor

While the supernatural forces in Together act as a metaphor for these fears of unhealthy attachment and giving oneself over to a partner, the symbolism avoids being hamfisted or pretentious. Instead, these ickier, creepier moments present a ideal counterpart to the character-driven drama. Both the supernatural and the personal serve the other in a mutually beneficial way.

A Divisive Ending

Together’s final act, which is best experienced firsthand, has left audiences divided on the film’s ultimate message about codependent relationships. Accounts suggest that those not in relationships have understood the narrative as a compelling reason for staying single. Conversely, some couples who were in conflict found that the film actually helped them make up.

If you are alone or with a partner, your own interpretation could function as a great barometer of how you view relationships. Will the conclusion sow anxiety and horror, or a positive outlook on love? Will you see yourself in either protagonist and yell at the screen, or simply glance toward your partner and say, “I understand that choice”?

Whatever the case may be, Together is an test you can undertake at this very moment.

Together is available to watch on Hulu's platform at present.