Tim (Dave Franco) and Millie (Alison Brie) have been together for nearly a decade and have decided to take a big step in their relationship. They have moved out of the city into a house in the country 2 hours away so that Millie can take a new teaching job. However this causes their relationship t be a bit strained. Tim is a musician and gigs aren’t readily available in this small town. He also doesn’t have a driver’s license, so he feels a bit trapped at their home. Millie is starting to wonder if they truly love one another or have just grown used to one another of the years, and Tim wonders if he resents Millie for having them leave their friends and city.

On the suggestion of Millie’s coworker/neighbor Jamie (Damon Herriman), the couple decides to check out the woodsy trails behind their home, but end up getting lost in the rain and falling into a deep cave—which appears to be the ruins of an old chapel. They drink some questionable water from the cave, and when they wake up the next morning, there is this odd stickiness to their bodies. They brush it off, but Tim starts to find himself haunted by traumatic events from his childhood. And as more strange visions and occurrences start to happen, he worries about his family’s history of mental illness. As tensions in their relationship start to rise, Tim and Millie start to drift apart emotionally, however, at the same time, they start to find themselves physically and sexually drawn to one another in an uncontrollable way. Some kind of supernatural force seems to be pulling them together (literally) and it becomes more and more difficult to fight it. They discover that another couple in the area recently went missing after hiking in the same woods. Could the same thing have happened to them? Can they find a way to stop what’s happening before it’s too late?!

Together is a new creative new take on the horror genre from first-time feature director Michael Shanks. The film combines classic jump scares, supernatural horror and body horror with relationship drama and humor to give something that feels fresh and original. Dave Franco & Alison Brie, who are married in real life, also have great on-screen chemistry. Much of film is comprised of scenes just containing the two of them, and they do an excellent job of showing that Tim and Millie are in fact in love, but are also harboring some deep resentment of one another that they need to work through. Early on, the film uses jump scares to let the viewer know that this is going to be a horror movie, and then becomes more possession-like in the scares, with either Tim and/or Millie finding themselves not in control of their own body, or almost stalking the other. However, these darker moments are tempered with a lot of humor to help release the tension. And finally, there is some gross-out style body horror (though not to the extent of something like The Substance) as whatever is controlling Tim and Millie attempts to have one consume or take over the other.

In addition to the scares, there is also a surprising amount of humor and emotion to the story, and some unexpected twists. The film is creatively shot, with odd angles, quick pans, and top-down shots, along with more traditional camera work. This keeps things interesting and engaging. It also makes use of practical as well as CGI effects, which help to make things appear more realistic, despite the craziness that’s going on. I found the film to be quite rewatchable. I first saw it in the theater, but enjoyed it just as much the second time around via the Blu-ray. There are lots of clues to viewer that I missed the first time around that seem so obvious when watching the second time and knowing where things are headed.

NEON/Decal Releasing have released Together on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD, & Digital. We were sent the Blu-ray version for review. The visual presentation is excellent, with a clean, clear picture and an excellent level of detail throughout. If I hadn’t known I was playing a Blu-ray, I would have sworn I had been watching a 4K release. The audio track provides clear dialogue and makes excellent use of the stereo and surround channels to provide an immersive experience. This is especially noticeable during the rainy sequence near the beginning of the film, and also in the gruesome sounds of bones cracking, etc. as this force tries to take over the couple’s bodies.

The Blu-ray disc is packed in a standard HD keepcase. Our review copy did not include any slipcover. Howver, the disc does contain a pair of interviews with the writer/direct and the stars. As with all Decal releases, no digital copy is included.

What’s Included:

Film (1:41:43):

• 1080p / Widescreen 1.85:1
• Audio: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Audio Description DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
• Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish

Extras:

• Interview with Writer/Director Michael Shanks (5:05)
  Writer/Director Michael Shanks talks about his love of horror movies, some of the homages he pays in the film, the raw performances, utilizing storyboards, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes photos and storyboards.
• Interview with Alison Brie & Dave Franco (5:46)
  Stars Alison Brie & Dave Franco talk about the blend of genres, the set pieces, working with first time feature director Michael Shanks, the filming process, filming the dragging sequence, collaborating with one another, the use of practical effects, and more. Includes behind-the-scenes photos and footage.
• The Codependency Quiz (1:01)
  Stars Alison Brie & Dave Franco ask each other questions to see how much they know each other as a couple.
• Teaser (1:22)
• Trailer (2:17)

Final Thoughts:

Together is a fun new horror movie that blends psychological, supernatural and body horror with some jump scares, drama and humor to make something that feels fresh and original. Real life couple Alison Brie & Dave Franco have great on-screen chemistry as well, delivering on both the horror and comedy. Decal’s Blu-ray release looks and sounds excellent and even includes a small assortment of bonus material. Fans of horror or of the cast will definitely want to pick this up or check this out.