“The first time a horror film made me squirm—and laugh—in equal measure was 1986, not 2025. Yet here we are.”
Neon has unleashed the final trailer for Together, Michael Shanks's unnerving debut feature, and it's a revealing snapshot of its twisted ambitiont. Opening in U.S. theaters on July 30, 2025, the film brings Alison Brie and Dave Franco—real-life spouses—into an aggressively corporeal nightmare of codependency, supernatural entanglement, and bodily transformation.
What's Really Going On
Brie and Franco play Millie and Tim: a couple relocating to the countryside amid growing tension. A wrong turn into a cave sets off a grotesque chain reaction: flesh starts bonding, autonomy unravels, and psychological terror seeps in. The trailer teases the unsettling vision—lips sticking, limbs merging—enough to stun, not disgust. This isn't a bloodbath; it's an unwinding of identity and intimacy, macabrely applauded by viewers who “laughed and screamed in equal measure” at Sundance .
The Seasoned Critic's Take
Body horror isn't new. David Cronenberg drank the blood of that vein decades ago. But Together feels more intimate—less grandiose spectacle, more “if your relationship became a contagion.” There's wit here, too: the film is cut with just enough comedic rhythm to make its queasiness sting more sharply. I've seen cheap tropes masquerading as depth. Not this.
Shanks, having honed his skills in shorts (like Rebooted), brings a stop‑motion precision to his feature debut. The pacing stutters just as it should—intimate moments rupture, then snap back. By the third act, it risks predictability, but Brie's and Franco's chemistry—real and electric—lifts you over the edge.
Festivals & Reception
- January 26, 2025: Together world-premiered in Sundance's Midnight section to enthusiastic reviews.
- March 2025: Screened at SXSW, earning audience nominations and building buzz.
- As of July 2025, it's at a flawless 100 % on Rotten Tomatoes, albeit from a modest sample.
Not Running Smoothly
A few glitches. The third act's emotional turn, noted by NPR, doesn't land every punch. Technical glitches—some effects feel CG-lite—also peep through, according to early Reddit chatter. But let's be honest: the genre thrives on rough edges.
Extra Twist: Pop Culture & Lawsuits
Neon's marketing isn't playing coy. They're sponsoring #TogetherContest, encouraging proposals during screenings (winners get a Las Vegas wedding). Meanwhile, a lawsuit alleges Together lifted its premise from a 2023 romantic comedy, Better Half. But Shanks counters: his script is WGA‑registered from 2019, and they're not plagiarists, just body-horror fans.
Closing Thought
Body horror without purpose is just gore porn. Together aims for more: a claustrophobic metaphor of love gone wrong, of two people merging until they lose themselves. It's not perfect. It's not kind. But it's honest—raw, even. And for a craft-driven debut, it's sharply memorable.
Is it a crowd-pleaser? Depends. You like your horror with emotional resonance and a sense of the absurd? Take someone you're co‑dependent with. Neon's not wrong calling it “the perfect date‑night movie”. Just know: this date bites back.
