Together (2025) delivers an emotionally intense body-horror experience that explores the terrifying limits of human intimacy. The film premieres in France on 30 July 2025, following a successful international festival run that generated significant buzz. It skillfully combines raw relationship drama with shocking physical transformation, offering a bold and unsettling viewing experience.
American distributor NEON supports the film, which features real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie in lead roles. Their authentic chemistry intensifies the film’s emotional weight and raises its overall impact on screen. Audiences and critics alike consider Together one of 2025’s most original and disturbing cinematic achievements.
Official French Release Date: 30 July 2025
Director: Michael Shanks
Main Cast: Dave Franco, Alison Brie, Damon Herriman, Mia Morrissey
Genres: Body-Horror, Psychological Thriller, Romantic Drama
French Distributor: Metropolitan FilmExport
Plot Summary: When Love Becomes a Physical Curse
The story centers on Tim (Dave Franco) and Millie (Alison Brie), a couple struggling to save their broken relationship. They escape to a remote rural cottage, hoping the solitude will help them reconnect and heal their emotional wounds. However, their peaceful retreat quickly turns dark when a supernatural force begins fusing their bodies together.
As their transformation worsens, their emotional bond also unravels, revealing hidden anger, fear, and resentment. Each suppressed emotion violently surfaces, twisting their physical forms in grotesque and terrifying ways. They soon realize a devastating truth—their intense love may be destroying them both mentally and physically.
Cast and Performances
- Dave Franco as Tim – A man haunted by guilt, insecurity, and fear of loss.
- Alison Brie as Millie – A woman who craves emotional connection, even if it means surrendering her identity.
- Damon Herriman, Mia Morrissey, and Karl Richmond offer strong support, adding texture and tension to the narrative.
Franco and Brie’s real-life chemistry adds a deeply authentic layer to their on-screen relationship, making the emotional stakes more believable and the horror even more unsettling.
Behind the Camera: Direction, Cinematography, and Music
Director Michael Shanks, known for his work in Australian television and short films, makes his feature debut with Together. The film is rooted in his own reflections on the toxicity of co-dependency and emotional consumption. He began writing the script in 2019, long before the recent controversy that would arise.
The film’s visual language is handled by cinematographer Germain McMicking (True Detective, Top of the Lake), who creates an atmosphere of isolation and unease. The oppressive rural setting mirrors the internal collapse of the protagonists.
Cornel Wilczek’s musical score—haunting and minimalist—supports the emotional disintegration that defines the film. Composer Sean Lahiff provides sharp editing that keeps the tension escalating with precision.
Practical Effects and Body Horror
One of the standout aspects of Together is its combination of practical makeup effects and CGI, creating disturbingly realistic sequences of bodily fusion. The film deliberately avoids over-reliance on digital effects, instead embracing tactile, intimate horror.
The visual horror isn’t designed for simple shock value. Instead, it reflects the psychological deterioration of the characters. As the couple’s limbs and organs intertwine, the viewer is confronted with a chilling metaphor for emotional enmeshment and relational identity loss.
Festival Circuit and Critical Acclaim
Together had its world premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, where it screened in the prestigious Midnight section. It was later featured at SXSW, the Sydney Film Festival, and several European genre showcases.
The film’s Sundance screening drew praise from critics and audiences alike, with many calling it one of the most innovative horror films of the year. Notably, NEON acquired distribution rights for a record-breaking $17 million, signaling major confidence in the film’s global appeal.
Early reviews highlight the originality, intensity, and thematic depth of the film. It currently holds a 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes based on initial critic reactions.
Legal Controversy: The Lawsuit
In May 2025, Together faced a legal challenge from the creators of a smaller indie project titled Better Half. They accused Shanks of plagiarism, citing similarities in the premise involving a couple physically joining together.
Shanks, along with NEON and the cast, have publicly denied the allegations, stating that the script for Together was registered with the Australian Writers’ Guild in 2019. The lawsuit is widely seen as opportunistic, with industry insiders supporting Shanks’ originality.
Themes and Interpretation
While horror fans will find plenty to admire in the film’s visual effects, Together also functions as a metaphorical exploration of emotional dependency. It asks powerful questions:
- Where does love end and self-destruction begin?
- Can people lose themselves in each other—literally?
- What happens when two people try too hard to become one?
The horror in Together lies not just in the physical, but in the emotional terror of giving too much of yourself away.
Where to Watch Together
Together will be distributed in France by Metropolitan FilmExport, with a theatrical release scheduled for 30 July 2025.
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Conclusion
Together is not your typical summer horror movie. It is a deeply emotional, visually disturbing, and thematically complex film that offers something rare in modern cinema—a truly original vision. Its blend of body horror, relationship drama, and emotional devastation ensures that it will leave a lasting impact.
For French audiences, its arrival on 30 July 2025 presents an opportunity to experience one of the most daring films of the year.
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