In his striking feature debut, Michael Shanks wrote and directed Together, a supernatural body horror film, starring real-life partners Dave Franco and Alison Brie, as a couple moving to the countryside, where they encounter a mysterious force that causes horrific changes to their bodies.
Grade: B
Alison Brie and Dave Franco in “Together,” courtesy: Sundance Institute.
The Premise:
Millie Wilson gets a job teaching elementary school English and moves to the countryside with her longtime boyfriend, aspiring musician Tim Brassington, who has been emotionally distant since the recent passing of his parents.
Millie proposes to Tim at a going-away party held by their friends but he hesitates to respond, embarrassing her. While hiking near their new home, they fall into an underground cave during a rainstorm and decide to camp inside for the night.
Tim then recalls traumatic details of the night he found his mother in bed with his father’s decaying corpse.
Upon waking up the next morning, Tim and Millie find their legs partially stuck together but dismiss the incident after separating.
Premiering at the 2025 Sundance Fest, Together received positive reviews and grossed $32 million worldwide upon release by Neon.
Together: Michael Shanks’ Supernatural Body Horror, Starring Real-Life Couple, Dave Franco and Alison Brie
In his striking feature debut, Michael Shanks wrote and directed Together, a supernatural body horror film, starring real-life partners Dave Franco and Alison Brie, as a couple moving to the countryside, where they encounter a mysterious force that causes horrific changes to their bodies.
Grade: B
Alison Brie and Dave Franco in “Together,” courtesy: Sundance Institute.
The Premise:
Millie Wilson gets a job teaching elementary school English and moves to the countryside with her longtime boyfriend, aspiring musician Tim Brassington, who has been emotionally distant since the recent passing of his parents.
Millie proposes to Tim at a going-away party held by their friends but he hesitates to respond, embarrassing her. While hiking near their new home, they fall into an underground cave during a rainstorm and decide to camp inside for the night.
Tim then recalls traumatic details of the night he found his mother in bed with his father’s decaying corpse.
Upon waking up the next morning, Tim and Millie find their legs partially stuck together but dismiss the incident after separating.
Premiering at the 2025 Sundance Fest, Together received positive reviews and grossed $32 million worldwide upon release by Neon.