Relationship Woes Meet Body Horror in Neon’s Crowd-Pleasing Together (SXSW)
Title: Together
First Non-Festival Release: TBD
Director: Michael Shanks
Writer: Michael Shanks
Runtime: 102 Minutes
Starring: Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Damon Herriman
Where to Watch: Check out where to find it here
This film’s review was written after its screening at the South by Southwest Film Festival in 2025.
As people grow and change through life, their relationships with others change too. The stakes are higher for some relationships than others. For every couple in a relationship, a challenge arises that tests the strength of their relationship and the resolve of their desire to be there for another.
Millie (Alison Brie) and Tim (Dave Franco) know this all too well, as they take the plunge of leaving the big city, buying a home in a small town, and moving in together. After moving to the quaint town, the duo decide to take a trek into the woods. During a surprise rainstorm, they fall into a sinkhole where they discover a supernatural force that has already overtaken a couple of lost hikers before them.
A sticky, absurd body horror film, Together is an earnest approach to the joys and horrors of relationships.
Its unconventional setup allows Together to play with its incredibly fun premise. Mixing supernatural horror with body horror, Together gives viewers a treat in a setup they have likely not seen yet. While it’s clear from the beginning of what awaits the unlucky couple, the mystery is in how and why this fate finds them. Without spelling everything out, Together uses its prologue to set the stage for Millie and Tim’s fate while dropping breadcrumbs of the mystery throughout its story to paint a fuller picture of why they are perfect for their predicament. As the story unfurls, writer/director Michael Shanks keeps his characters in the dark as much as possible to make the finale feel more powerful, much like the last moments before a wedding vow or the certainty of an “I love you.”
Beyond its central metaphor, Together plays with heavy topics like codependency, identity loss, and fear of commitment in an interesting way. Throughout Together, it’s clear that cracks are showing in Millie and Tim’s relationship despite their obvious love for each other. Doubt creeps in when Tim wants to continue his music career or when Millie finds camaraderie with the only fellow teacher her age. Both wonder what life would be like without the other while simultaneously fearing the thought of separation. The horror intensifies as each reckons with their complicated feelings, never fully able to disentangle themselves from their woes. Even though Millie and Tim bicker throughout their ordeal, their love perseveres, strengthens even. They aren’t just fighting the force that threatens to bind them, they are fighting against the lack of re-assurance the other has in their relationship. Their attempts to resolve the situation only pull them closer, forcing them to confront the very things pushing them away for years. Together works because it truly integrates Tim and Millie’s unspoken concerns and fears into the greater horror.
Together wouldn’t work without the genuine chemistry of Tim and Millie, which is enhanced by real-life couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco. The ticks of every relationship are different, so there’s no doubt that Millie and Tim are different than their actors but a dynamic special to them lingers all the same. It comes through in micro expressions and slight vocal intonations that scream for connection in the middle of chaos. Brie shines in Millie, the more practical of the two. Balancing the fluster and frustration of feeling like she’s losing her partner, Brie showcases both the fight and surrender in Millie. Franco gets to have way more fun as the artistic and emotionally stunted Tim. Crescendoing in his highs and lows of accepting where his relationship is leading, Franco gives Tim enough spark to sell his manic attempts to salvage their relationship and identities.
Its tactile approach to body horror allows Together to really shine in its deliciously gooey glory. There are plenty of ways to horrify an audience, but an underused and underrated tactic lies in grossing them out. Together leans into the disgusting nature of body horror and kicks it up a notch. Nothing that is a part of or comes out of a body is spared here, making for some impressively uncomfortable moments for the hapless couple. Every scratch, every crack, every pull feels personal, and the second-hand sympathy is all too real in its more intimate moments. The special effects team is clearly having a blast contorting, slathering, and transforming Brie and Franco throughout their ordeal. Realistic yet altogether fantastic, the beauty in the horror of Together shines bright enough to delight horror fans.
A crowd-pleasing journey into body horror, Together manages to balance big laughs and scares while still remaining genuine in its approach to relationship woes. Its captivating mystery and unique approach to body horror as well as its excellent cast makes it an easy recommendation. Embracing camp, this Neon feature is bound to make a splash once it hits theaters in August. Make sure you bring a loved one. You won’t want to see Together alone.
Overall Score? 9/10
