Review of the movie "Together"

Starting August 21, you can watch the Australian-American body horror film One Piece, which is the feature-length directorial debut of Australian Michael Shanks. After the success of a number of genre titles, including the scandalous “The Substance”, it is not surprising that in recent years, “body horror” has been on the rise with renewed vigor. Moreover, even one of the founding fathers of this cinematic trend, David Cronenberg, has recently released his “Savan”, where the image of the crippled Diane Kruger sticks in your mind for a long time after watching it. Let’s find out if Shanks’ film — is memorable in our review.

Pluses:

Several spectacular body gore scenes; a real married couple in the frame adds to the authenticity of what is shown; an expressive metaphor at the center of the story;

Minuses:

it seems as if the horrific and the dramatic-comedic-romantic conflict instead of complementing each other; some may be dissatisfied with the answers offered by the movie and/or the ending, which is tonally out of place in the narrative;

6.5/10

Rating
ITC.ua

“Together”

Genre body slide
Director Michael Shanks
Starring Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Damon Herriman, Mia Morrissey, Jack Kenney, Karl Richmond, Francesca Waters
Premiere movie theaters
Year of release 2025
Website IMDb, official website

Tim and Millie have been together for a long time, but it’s clear that the couple is going through a rough patch. After a farewell party with friends, they move to the countryside to a house near the forest. There, Millie is to teach at a local school, and Tim will continue to play music, although he can only dream of rock star fame.

One day, the lovers go for a walk in the woods, but accidentally fall into an ominous cave where they decide to wait out a heavy downpour. Given the overwhelming thirst, Tim does not shy away from drinking water from the local spring, and soon feels a strange attraction to his partner. Over time, this feeling becomes mutual, and the bewildered young people begin to be physically attracted to each other as if by a magnet.

There is a type of cinema that is commonly characterized as family cinema — usually the whole family goes to such films, and the plots are as simple and safe as possible. This category includes, for example, “A Minecraft Movie“, or the same “Jurassic World”, if the kids have already grown out of their elementary school pants. “Together” can also be called a family movie. Only with the caveat that it is intended exclusively for two people in love.

And we are talking about couples who have been together for a long time, when the “butterflies in the stomach” have long gone, he and she know each other as themselves, and sex does not happen as often as someone might want it to.

According to the good genre tradition, all bodily horrors have an obvious metaphor behind them, in this case, a long-lasting codependent relationship (and all the consequences that follow). Especially those that crack. Perhaps somewhere stronger. But definitely the kind where it seems impossible to imagine your life without the person you go to bed with in the evening and wake up with in the morning. With whom you eat the same food. With whom you breathe the same air. With someone who is always there for you.

Experienced spouses, or longtime partners who have not yet legalized their relationship, know that whether you are going through good times or bad, you still affect each other in a fundamental way. “At a certain point, we really can’t distinguish where one life ends and the life of our other half begins,” the director notes.

The fact that the lead actors Dave Franco and Alison Brie have been together for 13 years has left its mark on their confidence in the most uncomfortable episodes.

Where others would probably have been embarrassed, these two are focused on the scene without a second thought. The Farrelly brothers once made a comedy about Siamese twins, “Stuck on You” (2003), and the local sex scene (or rather what happens after it) is literally interprets this title.

In general, Michael Shanks seems to be offering a bizarre body horror adaptation of the title “Under the Skin,” if we’re talking about other films for some reason.

There is also a lot of unattractive content here, which is a must for body horror. The mysterious cave with magical water is reminiscent of Hans Rudolf Giger’s designs from the days of “Alien”. At some point, it may seem like the lair of the Alien Queen, who is about to dive out from around the corner to punish the intruders. Of course, there will be no xenomorphs in the frame, but the ground is prepared for the viewer.

“Together” once again reminds us that Neon is very good at PR for its horror films, just remember last year’s “scariest movie of the decade” “Longlegs” with an unrecognizable Nicolas Cage. Shanks’ film is billed as “the best horror of the year,” as the official poster declares, quoting a review from Insession Film. Perhaps it is about podcast. But if we take into account the textual review, then, first of all, the film is are called “the best horror comedy of the year” (although there is not much funny here), and secondly, it is probably not the best horror even this month — we recall the shocking “Bring Her Back” or impressive “Weapons”.

Such a density of high-quality genre products shows that horror is on the rise. It is frankly powerful. Specifically, “Together” is also a decent, good example of a horror movie that deserves attention. However, there is nothing outstanding about it, both in terms of content and technique. It’s just good. And after “The Substance”, which was both wittier and more shocking, the movie doesn’t make a strong impression. It looks more pop. How could it be otherwise, if the local narrative is emphasized by unpretentious lines from the old Spice Girls hit.

Conclusion:

It's worth watching for those who enjoy movies like "The Substance", as well as for couples who have been together for a long time.