--- title: "Together: A visceral, spine-tingling horror that fails to entirely satisfy" description: "Together is very well-made and watchable body horror, but its thematic ambitions aren’t quite matched in execution. It also suffers from releasing right in the shadow of genre cousin Weapons, a far more compelling and chilling film." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "WHAT WE’RE WATCHING" author: "Noelle Adams" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/noelle-adams/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-08-29-together-a-visceral-spine-tingling-horror-that-fails-to-entirely-satisfy/" published: "2025-08-29T07:00:57" updated: "2025-08-22T14:12:05" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 556 --- # Together: A visceral, spine-tingling horror that fails to entirely satisfy > Together is very well-made and watchable body horror, but its thematic ambitions aren’t quite matched in execution. It also suffers from releasing right in the shadow of genre cousin Weapons, a far more compelling and chilling film. By Noelle Adams · Published 29 August 2025, 09:00 SAST · Updated 22 August 2025, 16:12 SAST ## Key points - In a film that promises a spine-tingling exploration of love and codependency, "Together" leaves audiences more squeamish than smitten, as its clever prosthetics can't quite mask the lack of depth in its relationship narrative. - Together, Michael Shanks' feature debut, explores the unsettling themes of coupledom and codependency through body horror, starring real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie. - The film's clever use of prosthetics and CGI creates a visceral experience, but its execution falls short, lacking depth in character development and emotional stakes. - Critics note the predictable twists and clichés, particularly the portrayal of gender roles, detracting from the film's potential impact. - While visually striking, Together struggles to stand out against stronger body horror narratives, leaving audiences wanting more from its 102-minute runtime. ## Content While the particular cinematic sub-genre of body horror has always had a place, it’s also tended to lurk on the fringes of mainstream “enjoyment” due to its graphic, stomach-turning (sometimes literally) nature. It’s rightly off-putting. But last year’s The Substance, starring Demi Moore, which hauled in awards at Cannes through to the Oscars, reminded people that unwanted, uncontrolled transformation of self is rich in commentary potential, and can make for a very memorable, very powerful filmic experience. Enter Together, the feature debut of filmmaker and YouTuber Michael Shanks. [YouTube video: "YouTube video"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bqIwMH3En8) In the movie, real-life, long-term couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie play just that: long-term couple Tim Brassington and Millie Wilson, who upend their big city lives so that teacher Millie can accept a more meaningful position in the countryside. The move puts strain on the pair’s already fraying relationship, but not quite as much as a hiking mishap that ends with them overnighting in a strange cave. Suddenly, they, or rather, their bodies, can’t bear to be apart. Certainly, Together is effective on the *squeak* front thanks to its clever combined use of prosthetics and CGI, with the latter used to augment the visual effects’ practical foundation. After viewing, you probably won’t want to even hold your partner’s hand… just in case. However, the film feels smarter in concept than execution of its core themes: the exploration of coupledom and the growing threat of codependency. ![Still image from Together. (Photo: NEON)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/YE0AR-RaRgwk4XNnozJE6IcCEM0=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/TOGETHER_Still_02_Dave_CourtesyofNEON.jpg) *Still image from Together. (Photo: NEON)* ![Alison Brie and Dave Franco. Still image from Together. (Photo: NEON)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/YMKFsj8HKW0f8NWpoliExGfuKTw=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/TOGETHER_Still1_CourtesyofNEON.png) *Alison Brie and Dave Franco. Still image from Together. (Photo: NEON)* Together’s twists are signposted in buzzing neon, and it doesn’t really provide a reason to root for Tim and Millie, apart from not wanting to see the likeable leads physically tortured. As a domestic unit — barring some credible, light-hearted banter that you’ll only see between people incredibly familiar with each other — there’s no sense that they should be in it for the long haul. The film even trots out the cliché where the woman is the dull, responsible grown-up and the man is stuck in mental adolescence, half-heartedly pursuing a rock star dream and lacking in milestone skills like learning to drive a car. ![Still image from Together. (Photo: NEON)](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/LLGI9PYQHHixYOW9S5cXOlaeUtQ=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/TOGETHER_Still_04_Cave_CourtesyofNEON.jpg) *Still image from Together. (Photo: NEON)* It’s strange to say this in an era where so many blockbusters crawl towards the butt-numbing 2-hours-30-minutes mark, but it feels like the 102-minute Together may have benefited from more screen time. This, to provide more context for Tim and Millie’s relationship, past and present, and draw out the horror of their “merging” process. On that note, Shanks is inconsistent in his playing of the “shock” card, yanking away the camera in one instance, and then lingering too long in another. This is especially true for the film’s climax, where the inclusion of a final shot arguably crosses the tonal line from chilling to silly. Mostly, Together is visceral and skin-crawling, but it suffers for releasing in the shadow of [Weapons](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-08-20-weapons-a-slick-sinister-fairy-tale-for-the-modern-age-that-goes-beyond-expectations/?dm_source=dm_block_list&dm_medium=card_link&dm_campaign=maverick-life), a far more gripping tale of the dark and unbelievable coming home. If Together is your first body horror experience, you’ll find a premium production that is very watchable — if you have a tolerance for this sort of thing — but one that doesn’t meet its full potential. **DM** *Together is in South African cinemas now, having released on Friday, 15 August. This review was first published on*[*PFangirl*](https://www.pfangirl.com/entertainment/together-film-review/)*.* ![Image](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Together_Poster_hi-res.jpg)