‘Together’ Review
Stars: Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Damon Herriman, Mia Morrissey, Karl Richmond, Jack Kenny, Francesca Waters, Aljin Abella | Written and Directed by Michael Shanks
We all know a couple who seem joined at the hip, unable to spend time apart from each other. That effectively describes the central pairing of Together; school teacher Millie (Alison Brie) and aspiring musician Tim (Dave Franco). The longtime couple’s lives seem to exist entirely within each other’s orbit, but they will soon find their issues becoming more severe than struggling to meet up with their friends.
As part of Millie’s new job, the pair move to a secluded house in the countryside. This tests their relationship, as Tim finds himself trapped within unfamiliar surroundings and unable to even reach the train station without being driven by Millie. These issues are heightened after a disastrous walk among nature changes them, with physical contact leaving them repeatedly sticking to each other.
Making his feature debut, writer/director Michael Shanks (not to be confused with the Stargate SG-1 star) offers a literal depiction of co-dependency issues. As the characters grapple with the potential of growing apart, losing their individuality, and a lack of space, it is a theme admittedly realised with the subtlety of a sledgehammer. Yet it also leads to an excellent sense of humour peppered within the story, and impressive practical effects that realise the body horror in sticky and skin-crawling ways. There is also a versatility in the horror that offers a nighttime terror recalling Tim’s past trauma in unsettling ways, and a bathroom sequence that is ready to have audiences cringing, laughing, and wincing in quick succession.
When talking about body horror, it is unavoidable that Together will raise comparisons to Canadian master David Cronenberg, and it must be said that this falls short of exceptional entries such as The Fly and Videodrome. While Shanks delivers fascinating moments of body horror, there are instances where one wishes that the film took things further, including a moment involving a power tool. It also becomes distracting how heavily answers are pointed at, especially when a particular photograph is focused on numerous times.
Yet that does not detract from the deftly delivered relationship drama, something heightened by the real-life couple in the lead roles. While Millie is confident in their future, eager to begin the rest of their lives united, Tim is less assured. He is aware that time is marching on and he has not fulfilled his dreams as a successful musician, so is struggling with the idea of settling down and shedding the carefree lifestyle he has known.
Despite these worries about whether the grass is greener on the other side, there is no doubt about the love shared between this couple, something brought alive tremendously by the two leads. Their performances help to ground this work and deliver the film’s beating heart, complete with possibly cinema’s best use of the Spice Girls (sorry, Spice World fans.) All in all, prepare for Together to stick itself into your minds.
**** 4/5
Together is set for a UK release on August 15th 2025.
