THE STORY: With a move to the countryside already testing the limits of a couple’s relationship, a supernatural encounter begins an extreme transformation of their love, lives, and flesh.
THE CAST: Dave Franco, Alison Brie & Damon Herriman
THE TEAM: Michael Shanks (Director & Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME: 96 minutes
You may think you know what a clingy relationship looks like, but wait until you see how far director Michael Shanks takes it with his grotesque, body horror directorial feature debut “Together.” It’s the kind of squeamish film that will have audiences jumping out of their seats, laughing at the insane antics, and embracing the natural chemistry of its stars, real-life married couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco. Even if there are a lot of lingering questions over the film’s premise by the end, there’s no doubt this one will entertain and maybe even make you evaluate how “close” you want to be in your relationships.
The opening scenes of “Together” give enough crazy imagery to signal the audience is in for a wild ride: A missing couple in the woods, a creepy cave filled with weird religious iconography, sticky substances, and sinister dogs who look far from cuddly. All we can say is “Yikes,” and later on, so too will Millie (Brie) and Tim (Franco). These two are taking the next step in their relationship as they prepare to move from the city to the countryside, but it’s not all festive. This is solely Millie’s doing as she’s taking on a new teaching job, while Tim, a struggling musician, kind of just follows her lead, even though his heart isn’t in it. All of their friends can see he needs her more than she needs him, and even though it’s better for them to break up now than when it’s more complex later (a cheeky note for all that’s to come), they can’t seem to do it. To make matters worse, Millie attempts to propose in front of all their friends at a going away party, and Tim responds in the worst way possible. It’s the kind of mortifying moment you can’t bounce back from, but alas, these pushovers are somehow making it work. Knowing that these two great actors are a gorgeous couple in their personal lives makes their awkward relationship here all the more amusing to watch on screen.
The horrible vibes only grow stronger when they move to their small isolated house. Their first day in their new home is marked by the discovery of rancid rats in the ceiling, which reminds Tim of a horrific childhood memory (the visuals are nasty and bound to make anyone’s skin crawl). As they attempt to explore their new town and go on a hike, they fall into a cave — that same one from the beginning of the film — and this is where the real fun begins. Without spoiling it, just know you should never drink stagnant water unless you want to reach a newfound level of closeness with your partner.
Their relationship teeters from intense to enjoyable moment-to-moment, but it begins to get seriously tested when they return home after spending a night together in the mysterious cave. Tim starts feeling sick whenever Millie leaves his side — he needs her more than she does, after all — and it leads to some highly entertaining visual and aural sequences, especially one in a shower. At her new school, Millie meets fellow teacher Jamie (an entertaining Damon Herriman), who is a little too eager to welcome her and her partner into the community. Even though he’s friendly — even Tim thinks he has the hots for Millie — there’s something ominous about his whole vibe, captured perfectly by Herriman, a brilliant character actor who is no stranger to playing creepy men who may or may not be a threat.
As the meaty action of this film takes center stage, so too does convincing prosthetic work and some “how-far-will-they-take-it” gruesome and shockingly horrific scenes. Sometimes, Shanks decides to go the safe route and cut away from the hardcore visuals (one involving a small electric saw, for example), but it’s still a twisted, delightful watch. Brie and Franco also strike a great balance when watching their characters’ worlds take crazy twists and turns, literally and figuratively. Amid all the body-horror madness, they still manage to make us laugh with their eyes bugged out and hilarious line readings through the excruciating carnage.
By the end of this gnarly film, many questions remain unanswered, like how all the events we’re seeing are possible and how much everyone in this town is clued into what’s happening. Even though Shanks doesn’t provide the answers, that doesn’t take away from the fun you’ll likely have watching “Together,” especially if you dare to watch it with your significant other. If you can stomach the horrors of modern romance and some hair-raising jump scares, this will make the perfect date night movie.
