Every programmer who introduces a movie at SXSW tries to sell and hype up the audience for the film they’re about to see. And for Together, the hype was that it’s simply one of the best movies you’ll see in 2025.
I don’t think that’s quite the case for the smash hit that premiered as Sundance just a few weeks ago, but as far as body horror movies go, it belongs in the conversation of one of the best of the genre in recent memory. It’s wholly inventive with its visceral aesthetic and equally meaningful in its story of the fears and weaknesses within a relationship excellently portrayed by real-life couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco.
The limited looks that were provided going into the screening gave the impression of a story that takes place exclusively in the wilderness as Brie and Franco get ensnared by a mysterious force that starts to bond each other together in mysterious ways.
But the film from freshman feature director Michael Shanks only employs the hike as a catalyst to the impending horror that awaits Brie and Franco in a new life after moving away from the city, hopefully resetting their dull relationship.
Early on, it’s proposed by one side of the relationship that they might only be together because they’re used to each other after years. And to some side characters’ confusion, they’re not actually married. They’re not yet whole. That is the crux of the story. Will they break up and realize they should move on? Or will they learn to complement each other rather than be helplessly codependent?
It arrives at a rather surprisingly satisfying conclusion some show-stopping special effects that literally bond Brie and Franco together. And it’s not always just for scares. It’s deftly humorous, blending body horror and comedy like a 2000s-era YouTube sketch (an influence discussed by Shanks after the screening.)
Known for their comedic chops, Franco and Brie sell that comedy very well, including one of the most awkward scenarios you could possibly think of. But their vulnerability shines in every other corner as well, and all the more impressive looking at their physical talents aided by some startling special effects.
Together is mostly a two-hander but Damon Herriman also has a standout role, opening the film up to an important side story outside of the disastrous hike. He’s most known for playing Charles Manson in both Once Upon a Time in Hollywood… and Mindhunter, so it is a little jarring to see his more natural state. His character provides more questions than answers in the end, but it’s provocative at the very least.
I knew a fair amount about the movie coming into the midnight screening but even knowing some details, it ultimately caught me by surprise, and should for anyone that finds this movie in theaters later in the year.
