'Together' SXSW review: Dave Franco and Allison Brie are pushed to their limits in a bonkers horror thriller
Courtesy of NEON/SXSW
Just as the improbable awards-season run of the body-horror masterpiece "The Substance" reaches its close, in walks writer-director Michael Shanks' equally memorable and thrilling "Together,” which makes a bloody strong case for the benefits of being single. The film stars real-life husband and wife Alison Brie and Dave Franco, who previously teamed up in Franco's solid directorial debut "The Rental". In "Together,” the couple portrays Tim and Millie, who are at a crossroads in their relationship, unsure of who they are and what their future holds.
Anyone who has been in a relationship understands the importance of communication and can likely relate to the feeling of being at a standstill with someone you care deeply for. But in "Together,” Shanks takes that tension to extreme, often jaw-dropping lengths, with Brie and Franco committing every ounce of their being to this wild, acid-trip of a film. It rightfully played in a midnight slot of the SXSW film festival, and the packed house was electrified—along with me.
It's difficult to discuss "Together" at length without delving into specifics, but I’ll tread lightly, as this is one of those films where the less you know going in, the better. However, Neon, the distributor who picked it up after its Sundance premiere, has become a master at marketing, so I’m confident they’ll do a great job of keeping many of the film’s wild surprises intact.
Franco and Brie play Tim and Millie, a couple moving to the rural countryside after spending most of their lives in the city. In the opening scene, during a going-away party thrown by their friends, you can already see cracks in their dynamic. Millie is the only one with a job, while Tim’s dreams of becoming a successful musician are fading with age. It’s clear that something has to give, and Tim is starting to lose his grip on reality and his sense of self. "I don’t want to see someone else’s life flash before my eyes," one of his friends tells him.
But just when you think the film is heading toward another conventional relationship drama between the successful woman and the nagging, depressed man, Shanks quickly flips the script. While hiking through the backwoods of their new home, the couple accidentally stumbles into an underground terrain, where they end up trapped for the night. When Tim drinks from a nearby pool of water, something inside him changes. The next morning, the couple wakes up literally stuck to each other (he suggests it's mildew), and when they return home, Tim’s attitude and demeanor toward Millie have completely shifted—his need to be with her becomes all-consuming.
To reveal more would be a crime, but I really appreciated what the film says, in its own depraved, bonkers way, about codependency. Despite the film's twisted nature, it doesn’t take too many grim or depressing detours. Shanks skillfully balances the internal horror with the on-screen madness (of which there is no shortage). The film's most pivotal sex scene will remain etched in your mind, to the point where the Neon marketing team handed out party favors related to it after the film's Texas premiere.
Even though "Together" was made on a small budget, Shanks never compromises his vision. He has a steady hand when it comes to building tension and orchestrating jump scares with minimal flair. The film is well staged and lit, and the practical effects are impressive, though there is a point where digital enhancements are used. These moments briefly pulled me out of the film. Similarly, a few minor plot developments toward the end—where Shanks, like many filmmakers before him (including Osgood Perkins in "Longlegs")—tries to wrap things up neatly, resulting in some explanations that feel almost comically excessive.
However, "Together" still works for what it’s trying to accomplish, and its psychological elements elevate it beyond more standard storytelling mechanics. Shanks is firmly in control, and "Together" goes full throttle. Fans of Cronenberg-inspired films will want to keep this one on their radar—it's a film that won't be shaken easily.
Grade: B+
TOGETHER played at the SXSW Film Festival. Neon will release the movie in theaters August 1st.
