Together: A Go For Broke Body Horror Romcom (Early Review)

Together made a splash at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and is finally being released in now upon us after acquired by Neon following a competitive bidding war. Years into their relationship, the story finds Tim (Franco) and Millie (Brie) at a crossroads as they move to a quiet house in the country, abandoning everyone and anything but each other. With tensions already flaring, a nightmarish encounter with a mysterious unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love, and their flesh. Easily one of the best films of the year so far, it marks yet another terrific addition to the body horror subgenre.

The film is every bit as twisted, disturbing and gnarly as one would expect given the subgenre and premise but, that being said, it is honestly refreshing how darkly comedic and genuinely funny it is without crossing over to a full on horror comedy. It will have audiences squirming and laughing in equal measure, while its body horror elements are as effective as they are unpleasant. Similarly, the film features certain images and sequences that are sure to stick for a long time thanks to practical effects that could be quite unsettling. On top of that, the film offers some of the best jump scares in recent memory, resulting in a watch that is arguably a lot scarier than the promotional material made it out to be and one that will send a chill down your spine. Employing clever foreshadowing throughout, its unpredictable nature only adds to the tension as audiences await where the story will go next.

Exploring relationships and co-dependency in a thoughtful way, the film’s more poignant approach helps it standout from other body horror films whose sole intention is to simply gross out audiences. For something that is as bizarre, weird, and out there as this often is, it is also finds a way to be accessible for general audiences, and there is definitely a world where the film could be a huge hit with audiences if enough discover it. Best going into as blind as possible, the film’s trailers leave a lot of most shocking moments out, they still show a bit more than they need to. Above all else, what makes this even better is its brilliant and absolutely unforgettable ending, concluding with a final shot that is so perfect; one can’t help but to stand up and cheer how well executed it is.

For as great as this is, Together would not work nearly as well if not for its pitch perfect leads who both fully commit to the insanity of Michael Shanks’ script and direction. Both Franco and Brie are excellent as Tim and Milli and they absolutely go for it, turning in some of their best performances to date, though in the case of Franco, it may very well be his best performance to date. Being a real life married couple is obviously a plus in terms of their chemistry, adding a vulnerability to the film, it feels more lived in and intimate, adding depth to the kind of themes it is exploring. All in all, what essentially amounts to a two hander led by Franco and Brie, they do much of the heavy lifting here, but Herriman is equally as good as Jamie.

In the end, Together is not without some flaws. The opening scene might turn off certain audiences, while its tendency to overexplain what is going on, instead of leaving the events of the film up to interpretation, removing the ambiguity factor proved to be the wrong choice. But aside from those incredibly minor nitpicks, Together continues 2025’s horror winning streak in a year that has already included such acclaimed releases as Sinners, 28 Years Later, and Final Destination Bloodlines. The type of film that will leave an impact on audiences coming out of the theatre, it is also one that will likely remain with them long after the credits roll. Ultimately, Together can not be recommended enough. Don’t walk, run to the theater when the film is released this Wednesday.

still courtesy of Neon/Elevation Pictures

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Connor Carey

www.connorsmoviereviews.com/