While body horror is not my favourite genre of horror, Together has all the hallmarks of the sort of unsettling stories which get into our deep fears and pull them to the surface, which is far more up my alley. For me the strengths of the film were far more about the intellectual existential horror themes and its weaknesses were when it got into gross out horror. While I have critiques of some of its more out there moments I still think Together works and found it deeply discomforting.
Warning I can't discuss the pros and cons of Together without *spoilers* so read this after you've seen it.
I'll get the critiques out of the way first. So much of when Together gets into showing us the graphic body merging it becomes less scary. A big part of this is because it doesn't look real. The film's budget and it's leaning into full display (instead of attempting shadow and suggestion) make it seem fake looking. Whether its the hikers in the cave or the final surrendering, the effects just weren't effective. So much of what was happening here could have been done with far less vivid imagery and likely would have felt more real and therefore more terrifying.
Also as the film hit its climaxes, it felt too on the nose, like it was holding our hand, making sure we understood. I never need a film to talk down to me. This isn't just in the graphic images. A good example of this is Jamie. There is a scene near the end of Act II which pretty much outlines who he (they?) are we didn't need the bigger, more dramatic, more full out evil reveal near the end that just reeked of horror cliches. He didn't need to be a villain, just an example, which would have left things more ambiguous and far more interesting. The film feels like it's going for a goal of a kind of ambiguity yet it pushes its final scenes so over the top that hinders that achievement.
Same with the ending, watching Tim and Millie physically merge was unnecessary and distracting. It could have ended with them dancing, some suggestive shots of "coming together", and then cut to that final shot. Again I would have found this a far more powerful culmination of what the film is doing. Together does great work of this in earlier bits (the legs fusing, and that incredibly filmed sex scene). I was disappointed it had to wrap it up the way it did. We knew where it was going and we understand what was going on. I wish it would have trusted us to just go with it and ride it to the end without continually asking "did you get it?" "did you get it?" "see what I did there?"
But that's enough of that, cause overall I really did find Together fascinating. The way its story explores the complications of relationships, individuality, dysfunction, is so rich it is the sort of film that just begs for its audience to go for drinks after to discuss. It gives us so much to chew on and remains generally entertaining throughout without dragging its story.
It is also quite effectively disconcerting. Our culture promotes finding "the one" and the "perfect relationship" and Together asks some difficult questions about that. It uses a very disturbing metaphor to do it and one that will not only make us squirm but perhaps shriek. The casting of real life couple Brie and Franco adds additional layers to these questions in a film that is already so robust in its themes. Overall Together is a winner even if Shanks could use a little restraint to up the ante even more.
Together
Starring: Alison Brie, Dave Franco, Damon Herriman
Writer/Director: Michael Shanks
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