If Ari Aster made a better second half to Midsommar, his take on toxic codependency would top them all. Unfortunately, his setup for relational imprisonment fell not just for gimmick but worse—pretentiousness.
The cinematic potential for unhealthy emotional reliance is uncanny. Did you ever see Barfly, Fatal Attraction, or Blue Valentine?
Funny. Frightening. Funereal.
Add a body horror component to the premise, and you have the harmony of Together (2025).
Starring real life married couple, Dave Franco and Alison Brie, this midnight movie examines “you need me more than I need you, but I can’t live without you.”
Young, unemployed man with adolescent dreams and a mullet moves in with older woman whose job traps them in a small house in a small town. Their selfish needs for one another fester in cabin fever, and the cabin happens to sit close to something more ominous. Metaphor for codependency becomes a treacherously entertaining ordeal.
Franco and Brie are likable and relatable, and the progressive horrors they encounter are unlike anything I’ve seen before. People will talk about the “bathroom scene,” but I audibly reacted most to the Diazepam fiasco.
Between needy manipulation and queasy connective tissues, the results are funereal, frightening, and I can’t believe I’m saying this—funny.
Together (2025) ****
Reely Bernie 
Bernie, I think not seeing this at the movies was the “trade-off” with Mrs. B reluctantly agreeing to see Weapons (which she ultimately liked more than expected). That being said, I kinda tend to steer away from the body horror stuff these days myself. I thought it was interesting a real-life couple was blending in this one, and there’s little doubt it will be viewed at home…by myself, of course.😁
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Body horror seems to be on the rise these days. I’m “okay” with it, but it’s not my thing either. In this case, it played more as a metaphor, so I found it clever and tolerable! Looking forward to more horror movies in October! That’s my tradition for sure!
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I saw this last night, Bernie, and I revelled in it. I found myself laughing and scared at the same time, and fully invested in the couple. The acting was superb, with real chemistry between the two leads. The whole premise struck me as unashamedly believable (even metaphorically), as you alluded to in your toxicity recollection. And call me a morbid peeper, but the sex scenes really did it for me.
It wasn’t until about 30 seconds after the end credits rolled that it hit me—the neighbour, like our couple and their androgynous new self, was in fact androgynous as well, the result of Plato’s partner “together-ness” process between the male spouses. Ingenious. 4.5 stars from me, and I’ll be reviewing it in an upcoming Friday’s Finest instalment.
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I couldn’t agree more with your assessment, Matt. Where WEAPONS went for more shock “value” and conventional scares, this one went deeper in a more metaphorical, relatable way. And, yes, you nailed the ending! I look forward to reading your review. It’s definitely at the top of my 2025 list. This is already a much better year in movies than this crap of last year, haha!
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The Phoenician’s Scheme’ was probably my No. 1 this year until I saw Together. As you wrote, it was just so darn relatable, and oddly enough, the pull of the movie felt analogous to the magnetic attraction between the partners themselves. I actually want to see it again. It was surprising how few were in attendance at the screening, so I gather it won’t stay much longer here.
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How did I not see this article in my feed? Anyway, I’ll not read past the title until I see it hopefully tonight.
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