Cool and gross ideas. But lacks that special something to elevate it.

Tim and Millie, an unmarried couple, move out to the countryside for Millie’s new job. But a mysterious encounter in the woods affects them unnaturally. Soon they find themselves physically drawn to each other…

This directorial debut from Michael Shanks (and also written by) stars Dave Franco, Alison Brie, and Damon Herriman. Together is produced by various smaller studios, but its body-horror centric advertisement is likely possible because of 2024’s The Substance. Horror movies are having a boom right now, and this film’s trailer was everywhere. At least for me.

It certainly has a lot of interesting ideas. But I can’t help but feel like if it had been an Asian production, or a European production, it would have been even better.

Tim, an out of work 35-year old musician hoping for solo fame, is intimidated by commitment. But this becomes even worse when his partner Millie gets a new job that takes him away from his support groups and colleagues. They’ve barely set up their new home when a hiking trip reveals a sunken church and a pool of water. Unfortunately, they are thirsty (more for water than for each other) and Tim starts to experience strange fugue states and lack of control…

Together has a very evocative trailer. But in hindsight, the trailer gives away the entire movie. I can only insist, reader, that if you are interested in a small scale body-horror about relationships, do not watch the trailer. I would go so far as to say this is a trailer movie; the trailer in some ways is better than the film. This is mostly down to its pacing, theme integration and characterisation.
Shanks’s screenplay takes great pains in establishing Tim (Dave Franco) and Millie (Alison Brie) have a strained relationship. Borderline loveless. We spend so long with these two miserable, exchanging short compromised words with each other. The film is only 80 minutes long, yet this opening act feels like an eternity.

The theming of relationships, cohabitation, marriage, is front and centre. Arcing into the weird body-horror in the later stages of the story. But most of the film’s beginning leaves us wondering: How are these two still together? Is Tim really that hopeless? The end point we should want for them is togetherness, but long into the second act the sensations are that of pity and regret. Maybe it is best they stop this relationship?
Which, for the horror allegory involved, doesn’t really jive for me.

There isn’t a massive amount of cleverness. It is pretty straight-forward in what it does and achieves. Tropes abound. Awkward dialogue and stilted editing. I can only imagine the truly disturbing and cinematically intriguing this would have been by European or Asian creators…

But, it isn’t all bad. It is still a unique experience. The physical work is gross and very unsettling (the film-makers have a trailer that shows audience member’s eyes dilatating while watching) making the third act worth the wait. A scene that kicks off the third act in a kitchen (seen in the trailer, of course) is exceptionally well crafted. Like everything leading up to it was a champagne bottle refusing to open, it was the release. Funny, gross, entertaining. If only it had more of that pace!

Dave Franco and Alison Brie are good in the roles. The material makes them deliberately at loggerheads which stifles chemistry (obviously) although one scene later on is particularly raunchy and… eerr… unpleasant. There is also a really good spook early on. It has virtually nothing to do with the movie’s theming. It was extremely well done, though.

Reviewing Together feels like the opposite of most of my horror film reviews. Usually its the first act I enjoy, and then everything goes wrong in the final act. But here things are reversed. The final act does make it all worthwhile, but on reflection it was a bit of a slog to get there.

Additional Marshmallows: The trailer is here because it is a good trailer. But a reminder: it basically gives everything away. Might be best to watch blind if you are going to watch it.