Childhood fears are relatively simple. There’s a monster hiding under the bed or a vampire hovering just outside the window. Though terrifying, these fears have recognizable faces and are conquerable in predictable ways. But as we age, our nightmares lose their definitive shape, morphing into existential dread. We’re concerned with more mature and nebulous concepts that feel nearly impossible to overcome. And sometimes the most terrifying creatures of all are the demons that lurk inside our own hearts. Fear of intimacy and commitment repeatedly rank near the top of these more shadowy woes. We’re afraid that opening up to another person will leave us dangerously vulnerable. Some of us choose to remain aloof, frustrating our romantic partners, while others dive head-first into love only to regret it down the road. Michael Shanks explores all-consuming intimacy in his gruesome body horror film Together. This harrowing tale follows a floundering couple who find their once-loving relationship twisted into a monstrous new shape. 

Tim (Dave Franco) and Millie (Alison Brie) have been dating for nearly a decade when they finally agree to “take the plunge.” After years of living in New York, they’re moving to a small town north of the city to accommodate Millie’s exciting new job. But Tim seems hesitant to take this next step, putting a damper on their future plans. The moody musician has been struggling for months in the wake of a bizarre personal tragedy. He’s grown simultaneously dependent and distant, leaving Millie unsure of where they stand. And though she’s embarking on an exciting new career, he will be forced to rebuild his life, forging new opportunities and industry connections. When the isolation takes its toll, Tim begins experiencing frightening symptoms. He’s physically unable to leave Millie’s side, putting stress on their already fragile connection. 

Shanks expertly uses body horror to explore an altogether relatable fear. Millie and Tim can’t seem to overcome the growing resentment that overshadows their home, but they’re also terrified to separate. Each day sees them weigh ongoing dissatisfaction against the pain a breakup will cause. Shanks creates a visible metaphor for this bleak dilemma with the literal bonding of the couple’s flesh. Not only does Tim’s body “thirst” for Millie, their bones begin to crack and crunch as they slowly knit themselves together. Skin ripples outward with invisible tentacles, instantly combining in a fleshy mass. Attempts to detach cause excruciating pain as they must literally rip themselves apart. When not tactically connected, their bodies take over, pulling the horrified lovers roughly together like magnets controlled by invisible hands.  

We’ve all known couples who disappear into relationships, spending every waking moment with their crush. While apart, they gush about their new partner, seemingly unable to think about anything else. We watch these couples in silent judgment, secretly afraid the same might happen to us. Because from the outside, this feels like a devastating loss—the death of two vibrant singletons. But from the inside, the pull towards a partner often feels like an intoxicating rush as rationality gives way to passion. Shanks brilliantly represents this one-track mind when Millie drives away from Tim. He completely loses track of himself and is thrust violently forward in his girlfriend’s direction.

While jarring to see with burgeoning love, fear of intimacy is even more frightening in long-term relationships. After years of disappearing into their union, uncoupling feels like an impossible feat. Tim finds that he’s lost the person he used to be and worries that without Millie, he’ll have nothing left. She in turn feels the weight of this codependency and begins to look for a way out. But Tim’s bizarre curse makes separation impossible. At the very moment they should take time apart, a mysterious force literally pulls them together. It’s every commitment-phobe’s worst fear realized: a once happy couple fused together and trapped in the relationship for better or worse. 

Together presents a nightmare version of marital life and a cautionary tale against romantic surrender. We watch as Tim and Millie lose themselves in the raw power of their physical attraction, abandoning any rational thought. Yet, Shanks resists giving definitive answers. Perhaps these two attractive young lovers are meant to be joined in domestic bliss. Maybe the death of their single selves is a necessary sacrifice for long-term happiness. Or have they become a misshapen monster, destroying themselves on the altar of love? Together asks us to consider the purpose and power of commitment while evaluating our own relationships. Will allowing ourselves to love someone else cause irreparable damage to our sense of self? Or is it possible to walk down this treacherous path without succumbing to the pull of all-consuming love?  

Together is now playing in theaters everywhere. Get tickets now!