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Time Magazine
8 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Time Magazine
Breaking Down the Grotesque Ending of 'Together'
Warning: This post contains spoilers for Together. If a gnarly body horror film that reads as an obvious metaphor for codependency sounds like it's up your alley, then writer-director Michael Shanks' feature debut Together may be your favorite new movie of the summer. Starring real-life husband and wife Dave Franco and Alison Brie as Tim and Millie, a couple who have fallen into a romantic rut after a decade of dating, Together plays on our fears surrounding toxic long-term relationship dynamics by bringing those worries to life in visceral, physical form. The film follows Tim and Millie as they move away from their friends and family in the city to a more remote country town, where Millie has accepted a teaching job. Tensions are already high between the pair, but after a day of hiking turns into an unexpected overnight stay in a mysterious and seemingly supernatural underground cavern, things go from bad to worse when they find their bodies are suddenly, uncontrollably drawn to each other—to increasingly squirm-inducing effect. After selling to Neon for a whopping $17 million following its breakthrough at Sundance—and facing a copyright lawsuit over allegations of idea theft that Shanks has described as "devastating" and "entirely untrue"—Together hit theaters on July 30 and is predicted to bring in upwards of $11 million across its five-day opening run. The movie has also received high praise from critics and currently boasts a near-perfect approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Still, your thoughts on Together's third-act twists will likely depend on how straightforward of an explanation you require out of your fright flicks. Let's break down how the buzzy body-horror dramedy ends. More show, less tell As Tim and Millie's need to be in each other's presence becomes all-consuming, causing their bodies to start to literally fuse together, the couple turns to muscle relaxers to slow down the process and reluctantly decides to use a buzzsaw to separate their merged arms. They're then able to split up long enough for Mille to head to the neighboring home of her fellow teacher Jamie (Damon Herriman) and try to retrieve the car keys she accidentally left there while Tim returns to the otherworldly cave in the woods where their plight began. At Jamie's, Millie discovers an old home video playing of two people who both look somewhat like Jamie participating in what appears to be an occult wedding ritual that involves both of them slicing open their wrists and pressing them together. The video, combined with Jamie's subsequent creepy behavior and suggestion that Millie and Tim should accept their fate as the alternative is much more unpleasant, confirms what those who have been paying attention will likely have already guessed: that Jamie was once two individuals who willingly underwent the same process and ultimately melded into one. Millie manages to escape the house but not before Jamie violently slices her arm open. Meanwhile, in the cavern, Tim discovers the couple they were told about who went missing in the forest before they moved to the area are still stuck underground in a grotesquely merged mutant form—showcasing the apparent horrific alternative Jamie was referencing. We don't get a ton of explanation about the cult that created the ritual or where the supernatural water that sets the transformation in motion came from, but, in this case, the show, don't tell approach keeps the movie from getting bogged down in its own lore. Once Millie and Tim both make it back home, Tim is prepared to sacrifice himself to stop the transformation and allow Millie to live on without him. But after he professes his abiding love to her, Millie reveals her wound and makes it clear she's ready to accept her own death right before she falls unconscious from blood loss. Spice up your life When Millie wakes up inside the house, she realizes Tim has allowed their arms to fuse together in order to keep her alive. They decide to let the transformation take its course and "become whole," as Jamie described it. The two then embrace and give into their corporeal union as the Spice Girls' "2 Become 1" soundtracks their metamorphosis. That weekend, when Millie's parents (Tom Considine and Melanie Beddie) arrive at the house for a visit, an androgynous-looking amalgamation of Tim and Millie (who we'll refer to as Tillie) answers the door, signifying the change is complete. We also see that a bell, a symbol of the cult, is now hanging at Tillie's door, seemingly hinting they have accepted the cult's belief system and may be planning on converting Millie's parents next. As far as the subtext of the movie goes, Shanks has said the story is based, "in many ways," on his ongoing relationship with his partner of 16 years. "These characters have been together for over 10 years, and Dave and Alison have been in their relationship for over 10 years," he told Slant. "They're playing this abstraction of the relationship that my partner and I have, but in this heightened, crazy, and much less kind way. You feel it with them, as they have a history, and they bring that emotional authenticity and history onto the screen." Considering Shanks has referred to the ending as a "romantic and loving resolution," it seems safe to assume the filmmaker intended the movie to be more of a love story than a cautionary tale. But in an interview with Variety, Brie also had a warning for those in a relationship who plan to see Together together: "'I think if couples leave our movie and end up breaking up, it wasn't meant to be."
Hype Malaysia
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Hype Malaysia
'Together' Review: A Grotesquely-Beautiful Love Story Marred By Pacing Issues & Local Censorship
Out of all the horror sub-genres, there is one that few filmmakers dare to explore — body horror. It is arguably a taboo subject matter, as it forces us, the viewers, to sit through a horrible transformation that our minds are not ready for or do not want to comprehend. The first movie that comes to mind is none other than John Carpenter's 'The Thing', but even after 40 years, it still elicits some queasy reactions and gasps from moviegoers. But four decades have passed since that sci-fi horror flick landed in cinemas; isn't it time for a brand new body horror movie to come around and take up the mantle? Enter 'Together,' the latest supernatural body horror movie written and directed by Michael Shanks in his directorial debut. It stars real-life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a loveable but awkward duo that suddenly finds themselves being warped into something horrific. The film opens with Tim (Franco) and Millie (Brie), long-time partners who are entering the next portion of their lives, as they move away from the city into the countryside in order to grow as individuals, yet live with the lingering fear of them growing apart from each other. One day, while hiking in the countryside, the two fall into a cave during a storm, and stay the night. However, ever since that fateful misadventure, the two find themselves wanting to become one with each other in every sense of the term. Terrified by this unnatural attraction and the prospect of them fusing into one being, the two try all sorts of ways to separate themselves as they try to undo the curse that has afflicted them. If we are to explain how 'Together' makes us feel in one sentence, we would say that it is 'a unique cinematic experience, for better or worse'. There are a lot of things to unpack here, as it is an unconventional film, and an extremely interesting one. From the very start to the very end, you are bombarded with uncomfortable apparitions and awkward silences and pauses – a departure from the traditional scares that we expect from horror movies. The opening segments aren't necessarily scary, save for one scene, but they are important, as they are largely there to disturb and alert you. Unlike other films that will find ways to put you at ease to make their scares more effective, 'Together' takes a different approach in that it forces your guard up, perhaps teasing you that no amount of preparation is enough to brace you for what is to come. From the first all the way to the second act, where the characters are still unravelling the nature of their predicament, you are blasted with all sorts of visuals that are almost akin to eldritch horror — it is confusing and it is uncomfortable, doubly so when they are trying to go about their normal lives. It is not afraid to mess with you, and it deserves some kudos for that. However, when you peel back the horror elements of the film, it is a love story. In the opening sequences, we get the sense that Tim and Millie are on the rocks, no matter how much they say they love each other. In some messed-up way, the curse placed on them is meant to put their relationship to the test and see if they really are compatible with one another. And what sells this idea is the stunning performance between Franco and Brie, two A-list celebrities who are actually madly in love with each other in real life. The chemistry between the two is simply stunning, and you can always feel it whenever they share a scene together. Because of this, some comedic segments in the film are actually funny and do not feel the least bit forced. It is their love that actually helps ease you into the disgusting horror show that is happening before our eyes. However, the reason why this film works to begin with is because of Michael Shanks' direction. Through his masterful use of tension and scares, we are slowly pulled into this horrific story. Though it is not a perfect movie by any means, it is still a great outing for a debut film, prompting many viewers to plan on keeping tabs on Shanks' future works. Yet, for all the praise it's received, 'Together' is still largely held back by its story and pacing. The whole appeal of the movie is the body horror, but you don't see much of it until the very end of the movie. Sure, we see them slowly merging to one but it still feels pretty tame, all things considered. Furthermore, whenever we do see the body horror monstrosities, it is always when the transformation is complete; the whole appeal of the body horror sub-genre is seeing the transformation before your very eyes. If you compound the lack of body horror in a body horror film with a rushed pacing, you get one hot mess of a film. Though it has a 1-hour and 42-minute runtime, 'Together' feels pretty compressed. Generally speaking, the film would have benefitted if it had received 30 minutes of additional footage that showcase people actually transforming into monsters as well as being given a proper explanation of how and why it is happening to begin with. Even simply teasing us with the answer might have done wonders for the movie, rather than just lore-dumping it all on us around the halfway point of the third act. Of course, the film might actually have all these things – but Malaysian audiences would never know, as what's playing on our cinema screens is an extremely watered-down version of the movie. Yes, the version in theatres is heavily censored, skipping out on the sex scenes, some gory bits, and the final transformation. To say this is disappointing would be an understatement. However, if you're still interested in getting your body horror fix, you can feel free to watch it in theatres when it comes out – or wait for the uncensored version when it is released to streaming platforms. 'Together' is an interesting film that successfully delivers a noteworthy cinematic and sensory experience. However, it is not perfect, as it struggles with pacing, exposition and the Malaysian censors who greatly muddy the film. If you are intrigued by the movie and would like to experience the weirdness at its fullest, it is best to wait for the official uncensored version that might be released to streaming platforms. 'Together' will arrive in cinemas on 31st July.
Perth Now
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Alison Brie addresses serious rumours for Masters of the Universe
Alison Brie has hinted Masters of the Universe will not be serious. Recent rumours suggested the upcoming action movie would be trading its light-hearted and campy style for a more dour tone, but Brie - who portrays Evil-Lyn in the film - has emphasised people don't know 'as much as they think they know' about Masters of the Universe. When Collider asked the 42-year-old actress whether the flick would be more serious, she said: 'I don't think they know as much as they think they know. That's all I'm gonna say.' Masters of the Universe - which is based on Mattel's iconic toy line and the 1983 animated series He-Man and the Masters of the Universe - stars Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man, Jared Leto as Skeletor and Idris Elba as Man-At-Arms. Reflecting on the movie, Brie teased Masters of the Universe would appeal to both 'the nostalgic audience that loved He-Man when they were kids' and a 'new generation of He-Man fans'. She told Screen Rant: 'I did Masters of the Universe, and I really feel like I shouldn't say too much about that either. 'But I do think that is really fun, and I think it's going to serve both the nostalgic audience that loved He-Man when they were kids and a new generation of He-Man fans.' Masters of the Universe - which is being helmed by Bumblebee director Travis Knight and is slated to land in cinemas on June 6, 2026 - follows a young man on Earth who learns he is the prince of a distant planet and must reclaim a magical sword. With its power, he returns home to defend his kingdom from dark forces. The film's cast also includes Camila Mendes as Teela, Morena Baccarin as The Sorceress, Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Goat Man, James Purefoy as King Randor and Charlotte Riley as Queen Marlena. In January, Brie teased she had been 'getting yoked' with Björnsson - who played The Mountain in Game of Thrones - to prepare for Masters of the Universe. The Together star said: 'Filming is about to start. Everyone's in pre-production now. I was just out in London lifting some weights with Júlíus Björnsson.' Brie isn't the only Masters of the Universe star who had been training hard for the movie, as Galitzine also revealed he was 'eating around 4,000 calories a day' and had been doing a lot of weightlifting to get into shape for the film. The 30-year-old actor told W magazine: 'No pressure, I just have to embody the strongest man in the universe. 'There's been a lot of eating and weightlifting, a lot of stunts. I'm eating about 4,000 calories a day, but the amount of physical work I'm doing, you end up hungry at the end of the day, which is quite surprising. This is the fun part.' Even so, The Idea of You star admitted he was dreading 'the cutting phase' as he will be 'starved and so rude to everyone'. He said: 'I will eventually go into what's called the cutting phase, where I'm going to be starved and so rude to everyone. 'I can only apologize for the person I'm going to become in a few months' time.'
NZ Herald
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
Dave Franco and Alison Brie star in horror-comedy ‘Together' about commitment
When the story begins, Tim (Franco) and Millie (Brie) are leaving the city for a new life in a small town, where she has a teaching job and he – well, Tim is 35 and thinks he might still become a rock star. The two have been together for years, to the point that familiarity is curdling into boredom and sex has become another item on the to-do list. When Alison puckishly pops the question to Tim at a friend-filled going-away party, the yawning silence that ensues says everything about a relationship that's treading water. Maybe moving into a big old house in the country will fix things. Maybe it will make them worse. Maybe both. While Millie starts her new job – and is quickly befriended by Jamie (Damon Herriman), a flirty fellow teacher – Tim is stuck at home digging semi-dead rodents out of the ceiling and practising guitar for a gig with friends back in the city. They're living parallel lives that are diverging in confusion, irritation and more than a little sadness. What would it take to draw these two together again? A good horror story literalises emotional realities into physical being, embodying them in ways we can't stop watching, even if it's through our fingers. So when Tim and Millie take a hike in some nearby woods and, after various comic misadventures, drink from a pool that may as well have a sign that says 'DO NOT DRINK FROM THIS POOL', the audience waits for the other shoe to drop. It's two shoes, actually, and it's not long before they're paired up. Franco's character has a band. Photo / Neon To say more would be to spoil the fun, but I can tell you that Together explores anxieties about surrendering one's individuality to the unit of coupledom in ways that give new meaning to the phrase 'stuck on you' – and that has had audiences in preview screenings screaming in disgusted delight. Franco and Brie rise to the challenge of the movie's sometimes astonishing physical demands, working together with the suppleness and invisible harmony of two people who know each other intimately. You know they know how it feels for a relationship to go stale and also how deeply the bonds of trust and devotion can run. Undervalued players both – Franco has laboured under the shadow of his brother James, while Brie has amassed a stellar list of TV credits (Community, Mad Men, GLOW) without breaking through to major stardom – they enter into the gross-out giddiness of Shanks' vision with the ease of partners who are comfortable in each other's skin. Together loses some of its magic in the final scenes, pulling an unconvincing monster out of its hat and positing an unnecessary cult conspiracy in an effort to 'explain' what's happening to poor Millie and Tim. None of that is necessary, although I'm sorry to see a random shot in the version of the movie that played at Sundance last January go missing from the release print, of two dogs stiffly staring each other down like those toy magnetic Scotties. (The moment is still in the trailer.) In this movie, metaphor is meaning and message enough: What love has joined together, let nothing put asunder. Except maybe a power saw.
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Together is for lovers with strong stomachs
Millie (Alison Brie) and Tim (Dave Franco) love each other in Together, but things haven't been the same lately. As Millie has seen her career as a schoolteacher prosper (almost an unbelievable premise in and of itself), Tim has watched his dreams of becoming a successful musician fade into his partner's shadow. At a going-away party for the couple's forthcoming move to the countryside—a move centered around Millie's newest job opportunity—Millie's musician brother muses to Tim that he was hoping their coupling would make his sister cooler, but all it did was make Tim more boring. The brother then throws a lifeline to Tim: He'll allow Tim to play guitar at an upcoming show, which Tim eagerly accepts. Elsewhere, Millie complains to her friend that the two never have sex anymore, though later in the night she gets down on one knee and proposes to Tim in front of their loved ones with an imaginary ring—a confusing yet sincere gesture. Unlike with the gig request, Tim is so bewildered by this particular offer that he stammers in hesitation a few beats too long, thrusting the doubts both of them quietly hold about their decade-long relationship into sharper relief. Real-life married couple Brie and Franco star as a pair in turmoil in Michael Shanks' debut feature, a horror yarn about losing oneself in love and finding it (and more) all over again. Together physically manifests this simple but powerful sentiment into a body-horror articulation that, while perhaps tame to more seasoned fans of the subgenre, can be difficult to watch purely due to the impressive amount of gnarly prosthetics that Brie and Franco were required to endure. But the idea of Millie and Tim being literally glued at the hip is still a distant dream when the pair moves outside of the city. After they settle into their gorgeous new woodland home (on a schoolteacher's salary?), tensions mount as they go on their separate paths under the same roof. Tim busies himself with prep for the upcoming show that he hopes will revitalize his career, while Millie acquaints herself with her new colleagues. She cozies up to the suspiciously disarming Jamie (Damon Herriman), who opines on the area's hiking opportunities—the perfect couples' leisure activity. Millie and Tim embark on an ill-planned hike that leads them to their overnight entrapment in a mysterious cavern during a rainstorm—a cavern that looks, unsettlingly, like a church which has sunken into the earth. Out of water and resigned to waiting the storm out, Tim offers the last of his thermos to Millie and, in an all-timer dunce move, happily swills from a pool of water that sits undisturbed in the mysterious cavern. When the couple wakes, they discover that their legs are bonded by a sticky substance that rips their flesh when broken apart. This predicament is foreshadowed a bit too obviously earlier in the film, and it's fairly easy to track where Together is going as the story unfolds, but the journey getting there is fun. Where Tim once felt pulled away from Millie, now the opposite holds true; his body seems ceaselessly and perilously drawn to hers, becoming weak, desperate, and insatiable for her touch when their proximity proves too great. After neglecting Millie to practice for her brother's gig, Tim bails on the show entirely when his desire becomes unbearable, leading to an excruciating sex scene foretold by the aforementioned fleshy superglue. Then their roles are suddenly reversed: It's Tim who now yearns for Millie while Millie drifts further away, unnerved by Tim's behavior and concerned that his family history of mental illness may finally be rearing its head. This running mental illness theme, along with a few other additives, feels like one of many obligatory American horror motifs which keeps Together out of arm's reach of being truly great. Once Together's story becomes clear, with familiar signposts dotted along its path like the cultist bells leading to the sunken cave, there is little room for surprise or finesse outside of the actual horror set pieces—which do indeed deliver. That great, genuinely erotic sex scene is preceded by a disconcerting nightmare sequence and followed by at least one monstrous creature entirely realized through prosthetics. Shanks' and his VFX teams' embrace of practical, tactile effects helps uplift a film that might otherwise look rote. And Brie and Franco's performances further elevate the material, overwhelmingly selling the tumult, and romance, of their characters, whose dormant passion aches underneath the passage of time and obfuscation of individuality. The fear of losing oneself to a long-term relationship and losing the relationship is an unpretentious one; spending such a prolonged time with one person can breed resentment and create questions of whether the pairing endures only because it's what they are used to. That the cure could be a literal melding of body and spirit isn't to say that couples must pander to the most toxic parts of dependency; rather, it's that a true partnership involves two people not losing themselves to each other, but finding themselves in each other—realizing their fullest selves through their shared affection. The profound depth of feeling generated by Brie and Franco in the midst of this genre film, one perhaps unattainable if they weren't also married in real life, gives Together a real shot as the greatest romance of the year, even if it's also a film that happens to feature a motorized, saw-toothed blade slicing through mutated flesh. It takes more than gore to undermine the sensation of being so in love with someone that you want to get inside their skin. Director: Michael Shanks Writer: Michael Shanks Starring: Dave Franco, Alison Brie Release Date: July 30, 2025 More from A.V. Club Together is for lovers with strong stomachs What's on TV this week—Chief Of War and Eyes Of Wakanda Rupert Everett says he was fired from Emily In Paris, calls it a "tragedy" Solve the daily Crossword
