I just saw Together (2025) over the weekend, I have also started to thread when ever Im watching something worth posting about and I got to say this body horror movie with Alison Brie and Dave Franco is one of those that leaves you feeling all kinds of confused but also weirdly satisfied at the same time, they really went all in with this weird concept that sounds ridiculous on paper but somehow works when you see it executed, people who really love each other becoming one, because if you didnt notice they couple who got lost tried to kill each other and were never able to "merge". The movie follows these two married characters Tim and Millie who decide to move to the countryside and end up drinking from some cursed pond that makes them physically unable to separate from each other, its like codependency taken to the most literal extreme possible and honestly thats exactly what makes it both brilliant and frustrating. Michael Shanks directing debut feels ambitious but also messy in places, he clearly knows how to create tension and discomfort but sometimes breaks it right when you want him to lean into the horror even more. The story itself is gold for body horror fans but the execution feels like it pulls back just when it should be pushing forward, I think that Jamie "the bad guy" should have been given more screen time would have a bigger impact on the draam, they try to keep horror and gore at bay making it more accessible sure but also less scary than it could have been. Dave Franco and Alison Brie being married in real life adds this authentic chemistry that you cant fake and their performances carry the movie even when the script gets a little weird with its mythology about cults and ancient rituals, I love their work both specially their comedy side. The whole thing starts simple enough with relationship problems that every couple can relate to but then goes completely off the rails once the supernatural stuff kicks in, which is both the movies strength and its biggest weakness reason why is because the movie never fully commits to the horror side.
Rottentomatoes Rating
What really got me hooked was watching Tim and Millie deal with their issues before any of the horror stuff happens, they feel like a real couple going through actual problems instead of just horror movie characters waiting to get killed. Tim is this struggling musician at 35 who hasnt made it yet and feels some what over powered I think is the word, by his girlfriend taking charge of their relationship, while Millie has been carrying the weight of making all the major decisions and is getting tired of feeling like his mom instead of his "partner", lots of issues to call your boyfriend, your partner. Franco does a great job showing Tims insecurity and vulnerability without making him completely unlikable, even though there are moments where you want to shake him for being so passive about everything important, smack the sht out of him and grow a pair. Alison Brie brings this mix of strength and frustration to Millie that feels sweet and tought, she loves Tim but she also clearly fed up with having to drag him through life and make all the hard choices for both of them. The movie does this smart thing where it shows how their problems existed long before any supernatural nonsense happened so when they start getting physically stuck together it becomes this twisted metaphor for what was already happening emotionally, for example the opening scenes at their goodbye party do a good job establishing who these people are and why their relationship is already on shaky ground, Tim cant even handle being asked to make a toast without looking uncomfortable. Their sex life has been dead for months which becomes even more relevant once the body horror elements kick in and suddenly they cant keep their hands off each other but not in a romantic way more like a horrifying compulsion, oh you didnt want to fuck? its fucking time.
[Source](https://screenrant.com)
[Source](https://screenrant.com)
The body horror aspects are where the movie gets really interesting but as mention before it keeps pulling back just when things get intense, once Tim drinks from that cursed pond the couple starts experiencing this magnetic attraction that they cant control, their bodies literally stick together and they have to rip themselves apart which sounds way more brutal than what you actually see on screen although I like how things keep getting worst as time goes by. The practical effects are solid especially the scenes where their limbs get entangled and you can see bone pushing through skin but the movie always cuts away or uses humor to break the tension before it gets too uncomfortable, even at the end they cut off the transformation. There are some really really gross moments like when Millies hair gets stuck down Tims throat or was it going on Tim throat? its confusing at times depending on the attraction factor, all this while they sleep or when they get stuck together during sex in a school bathroom, those scenes made me squeeze my seat arm rest which is exactly what good body horror should do. The problem is that every time the movie builds up that anxiety and disgust it immediately deflates it with a joke or a romantic moment, which might make it more watchable for general audiences but left me wanting more. The whole concept of couples being unable to separate could have been explored in much more disturbing ways, imagine if they had to figure out how to eat or use the bathroom while stuck together, but the movie is too polite to really go there. Even the much advertised scene with the electric saw ends up being more comedic than horrifying, which feels like a missed opportunity to really mess with the audience.
[Source](https://screenrant.com)
[Source](https://screenrant.com)
The supporting characters and mythology surrounding the cursed pond add some interesting factors but also make the movie feel more complicated than it needs to be. Damon Herriman plays Jamie the creepy coworker who turns out to be connected to this cult that used to operate in the area and while his performance is solid the whole backstory about ancient rituals and Platos theory of soulmates feels overly intellectual for what should be a visceral body horror experience. The movie references this idea that humans were originally created with four arms and four legs but Zeus split them apart, so now everyone is searching for their other half, which is a cool concept but gets lost in all the relationship drama, also this is something I learn because I had to look it trying to make sense of some scenes and most audience wont so its a over complicated drama plot. Jamie having this mysterious husband who apparently went through the same fusion process adds to his creepyness but also raises questions that never get properly answered, like why did he survive when other couples seem to die from the experience, my guess is that only those who love each other would merge like Tim and Millie that eventually give up because he could not see her die but others would just try to kill each other and never fully merge, just my own theory. The cult stuff and the missing couples subplot feel like they belong in a different movie, one thats more interested in folk horror and ancient mysteries rather than the intimate body horror story that actually works. The movie would have been stronger if it just focused on Tim and Millie dealing with their transformation without all the external mythology weighing it down, sometimes less explanation makes horror more effective, the hole church turn into a cave doesnt make sense, did that happen before or after Jamie merge with his husband??.
Together ends up being a movie that I wanted to love more than I actually did, its got all the ingredients for great body horror but keeps seasoning it with too much humor and romance to really let the horror cook properly. The performances from Franco and Brie are period excellent and their real life marriage brings an authenticity to their characters that you rarely see in horror movies, they make you believe in this relationship even when the supernatural elements get ridiculous. Michael Shanks shows real potential as a director and creates some unsettling imagery but he needs to probably trust, Im not sure if thats the right phrase, just let you audience judge and suffer at the same time and handle discomfort without constantly providing relief. The body horror elements that do work are really effective and the practical effects look great, but theres not enough of them and they dont push far enough into nightmare territory, for someone whos new to body horror or easily scared this could be a perfect entry point because it eases you into the genre without going full Cronenberg, but for genre fans it might feel like a missed opportunity. The movie succeeds as a relationship drama with horror elements but fails to be the body horror masterpiece it could have been if it had more confidence in its own concept. After giving it some more thought I give it a solid 7 out of 10 because theres enough good stuff here to recommend it but a lot that just happens.... because...no reason, the performances alone make it worth watching and some of the imagery will stick with you but it definitely falls short of being the instant classic that the premise suggested it could be.
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