The supernatural body horror film Together may be bound together by flimsy logic and derivative sociological commentary, but it's justified by its inventive gross-out sight gags. While Together is helmed by first-time feature director Michael Shanks, it has the benefit of a married couple in the leading roles. Dave Franco and Alison Brie, who appeared together in comedies The Disaster Artist and The Little Hours, play longtime partners Millie and Tim. Despite almost a decade together, Tim hasn’t been brave enough to propose, which has prompted Millie to take drastic action to amend their relationship. In her mind, a move to the countryside is the ideal way for them to focus on their commitment issues, and to gain perspective on their careers. Tim was once considered a talented musician, but years of being passed over has caused Millie to doubt his future prospects.
The first chunk of Together is a loose remake of the Tom Hanks and Shelley Long film The Money Pit, as it’s centered on the challenges faced by Tim and Millie as they realize their new home is in desperate need of a makeover. Although it's an obvious ploy to indicate that they won’t be able to call for assistance once the supernatural shenanigans begin, Franco and Brie are unsurprisingly charismatic as a young couple on the rocks. Most refreshing is that Together isn’t interested in playing the “blame game” with its depiction of a toxic relationship; Tim may not have the will to stand by his decisions, but Millie’s decisiveness is often domineering. Since neither character is comfortable enough to admit their anxieties, they’re left to assume that any half-hearted excuses given by one another are intended as genuine.
Together isn’t particularly interested in the mythology of its premise, nor should it be; horror films' rules dictate that any unplanned venture into the dark woods will lead to doom and gloom. Stranded in a cave and forced to consume contaminated water, Tim and Millie find themselves incapable of being separated. At first, they’re merged psychologically, as Tim’s transformed into an incoherent brute when distanced from his girlfriend. Eventually, their unification is literal, as Tim and Millies’ limbs are sown together by an unseen curse. Perhaps the characters are slow to recognize the malediction they’ve been infected by, but to Together’s credit, the film points out they’ve been willfully ignorant about the faults within their romance.
It’s a testament to the film’s sharp writing and a detriment to its entertainment value that Tim and Millie aren’t very interesting on their own. Franco’s able to adapt to the more serious tone, despite his background in comedy, but Tim’s strange obsessions and unsubstantiated goals are as irritating to the audience as they are to Millie. Similarly, Millie’s attempts to fit in with her new job as an elementary school teacher effectively highlight her lack of social skills, but there’re too many scenes that feel like bad improv. Although it's the more lurid content that Together is dependent on, its more disturbing scenes involve fits of madness. A standout moment in which Millie’s workplace is disrupted by Tim’s surprise appearance is the type of grounded, uncomfortable moment that doesn’t require gore to make audiences squirm.
Even if Tim and Millie are too obtuse and self-centered to be endearing protagonists, Together is effective in the generation of frustration on their behalf. Given that their small circle of friends are aware of the flakiness in their relationship, Tim and Millie recognize that no one will believe their claims about a supernatural spell. Although it's primed to terrify anyone that’s fearful of the outdoors, Together is loyal to the Cronenbergian tradition that the best body horror is derived from the characters’ physicality. The most effective and visceral moments in Together are the unusual, disturbing ways in which Tim and Millies’ bodies are contorted and compromised. The metaphor isn’t subtle; this is representative of how the couple has strained to make their relationship work, despite the lack of effort put into it. Nonetheless, the low-budget makeup work is at its very least charming, as horror films work best when they look unpolished.
Despite an obnoxious marketing campaign that has prompted real-life couples to complete embarrassing publicity stunts, Together is refreshingly devoid of the smarmy self-awareness that’s dominant in horror films. The novelty of Scream, which broke new ground through its homages to other horror classics, has long faded away, as the self-referential tone of modern studio releases has felt like an attempt to capitalize on the adolescent antics of Deadpool. Although Together has allowed its characters to step back to recognize the ridiculous nature of their predicament, their reactions come from distress, and aren’t inserted for comedic relief.