A couple moves out to the country and finds themselves growing closer… too close, literally, in Together, Michael Shanks’s melding of body-horror, relationship drama, with a dusting of folk horror. Together was presented as part of the Fantasia International Film Festival and is also in wide release.
Together is a good movie, very good even. But it wasn’t completely there for me. It’s decently gooey, intensely interesting, and it has a great premise. I applaud Shanks for what he has done in writing and directing (there is a controversy over possible plagiarism, but I’ll leave that to outside this review, outside this single mention). He’s brought a wild, weird body horror film to the masses with recognizable stars and a sense of uncomfortable coolness.
Tim and Milie are a couple on the rocks. In a rut in their relationship and lives, she’s taken a new job in the country, and they’ve moved out to a secluded house in the woods. Things get worse when, for some folk horror reasons, their bodies are trying to merge, bringing all their relationship issues to the forefront.
Together has an interesting turn in how much the couple probably shouldn’t be together, starting at a terrible point for them; rather than the events of the movie causing issues in a solid relationship. Gives an extra edge to the drama. Both Tim and Millie are miserable, unhappy with their lot in life, and he trajectory of their relationship. The relationship drama, half of the setup up is tearing them apart, highlighting the cracks in their connection metaphorically. But the body horror is threatening to bring them together more literally, ala the pile of dogs in The Thing. 
It’s a great juxtaposition of the two sides, and exploring the ins and outs of a relationship in trouble. Together is a film of many metaphors. How a relationship changes you, how intertwined your life and person become with another. What does it mean in the long run? Can you remain your true self while giving your life to another? Is there a disconnect between physically wanting but disliking emotionally? These questions are explored, perhaps a little bluntly, with a “do you get it?” hammer pounding the head.
Tim and Millie are played by Dave Franco and Alison Brie. They’re a real-life couple. This lends a lived-in chemistry and intimacy. Two people who know how to move in one another’s orbits. It also gives a challenge to play a new side of their lives. Alison Brie is fantastic, playing someone aware of her situation and fighting hard to figure it out and what to do. Dave Franco gives a great try, but he’s just not a strong actor when trying to emote. However, Shanks uses their faces to great effect. While much of the direct body horror is slightly off-screen, Shank gets close up, focusing their terror over the blood and grossness (we do get some, see below).
I think I wanted the film to go a little further. Like one more push, one more element was needed. Go a little bigger and bolder. But that might be on me more than Shanks. It’s no secret I’m a fan of body horror. Give me all the squelching, mutilating, twisting, and turning of the human body. In that way, Together is body horror for beginners. Nothing wrong with that, but seasoned body horror lovers will say, “I’ve seen Videodrome and Society”. It may be unfair to hold Shanks up against Cronenberg, when the latter has given plenty of practical body melding and mutiliation.
Despite my seeing more elsewhere and wanting more here, there is still enough in Together for most audiences, and I was highly into it. A few gallons of blood, rips, tears, and one particular connection in a tight place gets a wince. Most of it is either CG or just off-screen, to a bit of annoyance, but there is one great-looking practical monster. I might have been a little let down by the physical notion, but the sound design is exquisite. The aural of the connections, splits, and the fusions has a deliciously unpleasant splurp. It’s wonderfully uncomfortable. Even as the camera stays on the couple’s face, I wince at the mere sound of their bodies aching for each other.
I’ll admit I also wanted a bigger dip into the Folk Horror pool. There’s a touch, a cult aspect, whatever has happened with the spring. I loved the design of the organic Giger-esque roots, ribs, and curves around the pool and the sunken church. Delving more into this would have deepened the film. It’s there, begging to be explored. My appetite is whetted, please sate me! Expand your world! But I understand why, at the core, Together is an intimate story of the intertwining of relationships and how they change people, for better or worse, through the lens of body horror.
I love how much Neon presses the public; they’ve been putting out deliciously weird moves to wide audiences. Very much in the A24 design, but perhaps a little more publicly accessible. For some reason, there’s a swath of folks who get turned off with “A24” as soon as they see the logo. I’ve yet to see that happen with Neon.
Despite my dings above, I did have a good time with Together. It’s well put together, with some nice physical bits (as one should with a body horror), and an interesting premise, even if it beats on the metaphors pretty hard. Check it out.
Together played as part of the Fantasia International Film Festival, running July 16th through August 3rd. It is also in standard wide release starting this weekend.