Introduction & Basic Details of Together
Together (2025) is a horror‑comedy feature debut written and directed by Michael Shanks, starring real‑life married couple Alison Brie (Millie) and Dave Franco (Tim), with Damon Herriman in a supporting role. Blending psychological drama, body horror, and dark humor, it premiered at Sundance 2025 and opened wide in the U.S. on July 30, 2025 under a Neon release, running 102 minutes rated R.
📖 Plot Summary (Spoiler-Free)
Tim and Millie, longtime partners, leave the city for small‑town country life when Millie starts a teaching job and Tim chases musical dreams. Already emotionally distant, their relationship fractures further after a hike leads them to a mysterious cave pool. What begins as subtle body‑horror evolves into a surreal merging that transforms their physical and emotional bond – forcing them to confront how far codependency can go. Their union becomes literal and terrifying.
🔑 Key Highlights
Direction
Michael Shanks handles this tonal tightrope with flair, expertly balancing unsettling horror, emotional drama, and rude laughter. His visual storytelling evokes The Fly and Cronenberg‑esque imagery while maintaining a fresh voice. The slow burn builds tension, and surreal touches deliver a uniquely jarring experience.
Acting
Brie and Franco’s chemistry is the film’s beating heart. As real partners, they pull off the physical and emotional absurdities in stride, selling every grotesque moment with humor and pathos. Brie’s boldness and Franco’s nervous energy deliver performances committed to the concept’s extremes.
Music & Sound Design
Cornel Wilczek’s haunting score and masterful sound design heighten the mood—soft hums, sudden silences, distorted atmospherics—creating unease without cheap jump scares.
Cinematography & Visual Effects
Germain McMicking’s cinematography contrasts serene wide shots of the countryside with claustrophobic interiors, echoing the couple’s shifting emotional landscape. Practical-effects prosthetics work is gruesomely impressive—real, tactile, and repulsive in the best way.
✅ What Worked Well — & What Didn’t
What clicked:
The metaphor of codependency made tangible with literal merging is chillingly inventive.
Brie and Franco’s natural rapport gives emotional stakes to the grotesque.
Practical effects, sound, and visuals blend into bone‑crunching, laugh‑out‑loud horro..
Where it stutters:
In third act, an excessive cult conspiracy and monster subplot feel unnecessary and undercut emotional purity.
Some pacing lulls—especially around exposition and the lore of the cave—dilute tension.
🎬 Comparison to Similar Films
Fans of David Cronenberg‑style body horror (The Fly, Videodrome) will appreciate Together’s visceral transformation and psychological subtext. Unlike extreme gore‑tankers, it combines relational realism with surreal horror—more emotional and funny than shock‑only titles like Raw or Antiviral. It also recalls the indie spirit of films like Skinamarink or The Substance, but with sharper satire and comedic timing.
👥 Audience Suitability
Bold body‑horror lovers and fans of twisted relationship dramas will find plenty to enjoy.
Not intended for kids or squeamish viewers—there’s graphic violence, nudity, disturbing gore, and sexual content.
Couples in long‑term relationships may resonate with its emotional resonance—but maybe skip it on your third date.
If you like horror that challenges relationship tropes while inducing disgust and laughter—you’ll want to see Together.
🏆 Final Verdict: Should You Watch Together?
Absolutely—if you’re in the mood for something edgy, clever, and emotionally uncomfortable in the best way. Together delivers a fresh twist on horror comedy and relationship satire, supported by fearless performances and bold practical effects.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
It loses a little of its grip in the final act, but it remains one of the boldest and most memorable horror offerings of 2025.
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