Together film review: Alison Brie and Damon Herriman starrer adds a spooky touch to the togetherness

This is a film that takes togetherness to a whole, new, horrific level. It presents togetherness as a nightmare you wouldn’t want to be caught alive in.

Real life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie essay the roles of longtime couple Tim and Millie, who move from the city to the country so that Millie can continue working and Tim can pursue his dream of becoming a musician. Tim though is unhappy about the move and this puts a strain on their already troubled relationship. During a hike in the woods, they get trapped in a cave and end up drinking water from a pool in the cave. Days after this event, Tim and Millie find their bodies literally trying to fuse together.

Will the couple survive the fallout? The couple has to first figure out what is happening and why? Their forced intimacy allows them to learn more about each other’s past. Tim has the opportunity to talk about the horrors of his past, including a family history of mental illness.

The film questions the reality of romantic togetherness, where one partner usually subjugates herself or himself to keep the relationship going. As the differences between them drive the couple further apart, their bodies start compensating, bringing them closer. Their flesh wants to be connected even if their minds are unwilling.

Writer/director Michael Shanks creates images that affect you negatively. You almost feel the pain when you see bodies fusing together. There are grotesque, gory sequences that show the couple using an electric saw to cut themselves apart. The sequences here are designed to make you squirm with discomfort and revulsion.

The sound design is terrific. You can hear the crunch of bones as the fusion takes place and the pain experienced by the couple is starkly imprinted. The narrative flashes through with some mythology about the endless search for our other half, while all this is happening.

The story basically binds Tim and Millie to a destiny that they wouldn’t want to be in. Tim and Millie seem to be growing apart. Some misunderstandings, miscommunication and divergent career goals are taking its toll. But after the incident in the cave, they are forced together by happenings way beyond their control.

Franco and Brie have strong screen presence and their chemistry together is quite visible on screen. Both actors are able to convey strong emotions with heartfelt ingenuity. The shocking effects make the gruesome scenes come alive. There’s also some dark humor thrown in but it basically hampers the tension and comes in the way of conviction. The logical leaps can be overlooked because the brisk pace keeps you busy and invested.   

Together, while crafting a horror tale is also exploiting a relationship at the crossroads. It’s quite a zany, unhinged enterprise that delivers on its terror premise.

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