After moving to the countryside, a supernatural encounter starts to transform a couple's love, their lives, and their flesh.
Director: Michael Shanks
Cast: Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Damon Herriman, Mia Morrissey
Release Date: July 30, 2025
Genre: Comedy, Horror, Romance, Sci-Fi
Rated R for violent/disturbing content, sexual content, graphic nudity, language and brief drug content.
Runtime: 1h 42m
Review:
Together is devilishly funny bit of body horror sprinkled with bits of rom-com which works better if you don't think about the story too much and focus on stellar turns from Dave Franco and Alison Brie. Writer/Director Michael Shanks leaves quite an impression in his directorial debut by delivering an equal balance of visceral frights and relationship humor that hits more often than not. He judiciously utilizes a series of well timed jump scares scattered throughout to give you a sense that something horrific could be lurking in the deepest recess of your nightmares. Long overhead shots take full advantage of the scenic setting but there's something just slightly off that keeps everything unsettling. Casting real life husband and wife proves to be a masterstroke since Franco and Brie bring an air of authenticity to their relationship. Their interchanges will likely sound familiar to anyone who's been in a long term relationship. Alison Brie takes full advantage of her talents here as we get the full spectrum of her character's traits which swing from sweet but mildly passive aggressive to cuttingly acidic in the blink of eye. Dave Franco is equally impressive as her boyfriend, who's clearly used to be overshadowed and domineered by the time we meet him. Their relationship reeks of the worst kind of toxic codependency with neither being able to take the final step and just leave. Even as things get increasingly insane there's something relatable about their endless cycle of arguments and reconciliations that leaves neither happy. The allegory here is about as blunt as they come as they literally become unable to leave each other as we witness a series of increasingly grotesques encounters. The script doesn't concern itself too much with why this has happened to them which feels like Shanks might have painted himself into a corner, ultimately deciding to just avoid a tangible of explanation altogether. It’s, ultimately, a minor complaint because Together works on so many levels thanks to strong direction and performances from its central duo.
B+
