Together

Several years into their relationship, Tim and Millie find themselves at a crossroads when they encounter an unnatural force threatens to corrupt their lives, their love, and their flesh.

Yes, Together is a body horror film that is unlike any other; one that allows us to see what it may be like to fuse with our romantic partner. Spoiler alert: it seems like a fairly unpleasant experience.

Thankfully, the movie itself is surprisingly tame. Sure, it may be a bit unsettling to those who are particularly squeamish. But regular horror fans should be able to sit through this film just fine. Which may sound like a good thing, but it's actually my issue with the movie. 

Despite being a good film overall, Together feels more like a relationship drama than a genuine horror film. Which is totally fine; I just thought the movie was going to be more horrifying, more grotesque, and more entertaining overall.

So, even though there's nothing particularly bad about the film, I do wish that it did a bit more with it's premise. Because the film definitely could have pushed the envelope a bit further. Whether that means leaning more in to the gross horror itself, or the humor that can come from featuring body horror like this.

Horror doesn't inherently need to be frightening or scary; it could be fun and ridiculously over-the-top as well. As was the case in Final Destination Bloodlines, for example. Unfortunately, the horror in Together isn't particularly terrifying or entertaining.

I guess I just wanted the movie to feel a bit more likeThe Substance - another body horror film that was able to balance levity with surprisingly mature themes. But Together definitely does not reach the same heights as The Substance. Which is a shame. Though, I admit that may not be the best comparison. After all, The Substance went on to become a Best Picture nominee. And just because Together isn’t Best Picture material, doesn’t mean it’s not good. This is a good film!

The best part of the movie is probably the cast. Dave Franco and Alison Brie have great chemistry together - and that’s coming from someone who didn’t even know they were dating in real life! But their performances were both really great here. 

I also like Michael Shanks’ sense of direction. For his directorial debut, I think he did a pretty solid job here! And I would definitely like to see whatever he directs in the future. 

But, while the movie features an interesting premise, a couple of strong performances, and good directorial style, I can't deny that it seems to be lacking something. 

As it stands now, Together is an admittedly good film. I just think that it could've been a lot better.