‘Together’ Review: Dave Franco and Alison Brie in a Bonkers but Wildly Fun Fusion of Body Horror and Codependency Angst

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Are you craving even more strange transformations from the story “The Substance“? If so, Australian filmmaker Michael Shanks has a movie that might appeal to you with an abundance of bone-jarring twists, slimy ooze, and unsettling flesh distortions. The cherry on top is some supernatural cult madness. Dave Franco and Alison Brie give stellar performances as a couple experiencing relationship troubles while relocating to a town where the woods conceal horrifying mysteries. Interestingly, when Brie’s character Millie, a schoolteacher, suggests that it might be best to separate earlier rather than later to avoid more pain, she has no idea how accurate her words will turn out to be.

Discussing the unique blend of body horror and romance found in the film “Together” can be challenging without delving into spoilers, but hints can be gleaned from a sweet Spice Girls song from 1996 and an introductory scene. In this opening sequence, rescuers are depicted scouring a dense forest for two lost hikers. Although the forest is portrayed as regional Victoria, Australia, it oddly resembles the Pacific Northwest.

A duo of detection dogs descends into a vast underground chamber, where it appears something sinister is observing them from the depths as they drink from an underworld pond. Upon resurfacing, these canines display strange behavior, standing motionless and staring intently at each other with fixed gazes. The following night, their owner discovers them growling, their faces bloodied and seemingly merged into one, resembling a monstrous two-headed creature.

Since the story Together appears to revolve around a couple working on rebuilding and fortifying their relationship, that visual doesn’t seem promising.

In the eerie prelude, a sense of unease fades as Millie plans to depart from the city, seeking a better teaching opportunity at a rural school. Her partner Tim (Franco), who’s been growing distant, is put under pressure when she proposes during their farewell party. His hesitation before saying “Yes” humiliates her and adds strain, hinting at his reluctance to move. However, an opening arises for him when Millie’s brother Luke (Jack Kenny) invites Tim to accompany his band on tour as a guitarist.

Given that Millie requires the car for work and Tim lacks driving skills, they’ll have to rely on public transportation like trains when commuting to and from the city. To prevent Tim from feeling marginalized by Millie’s career-driven lifestyle, this seems like a viable solution. However, due to his past traumas, Tim may not even consider such an arrangement.

Since Millie needs the car for work and Tim can’t drive, they might take trains instead. To make sure Tim doesn’t feel left out because of Millie’s career, this could be a solution. But since Tim has past traumas, he may not even think about this idea.

In a comfortable town, they settle into a roomy home, and upon Tim revealing an electric saw inherited from his father, there’s an unsettling hint of foreshadowing – like Chekhov’s gun – when he warns Millie, “Don’t let me use this.” Millie receives a warm reception at the school, even bordering on overly enthusiastic, by colleague Jamie (Damon Herriman). He discusses the picturesque woodlands and rewarding hiking paths in the region. However, he fails to share details about the couple who vanished without a trace, or the fallen chapel of a peculiar religious group hidden within the forest.

Regardless of how foreseeable the movie’s events may seem, an unsettling atmosphere persists as they tread a path adorned with elaborate brass bells. In an attempt to seek refuge from a heavy downpour, they unfortunately plunge through the ground and land in a feared chasm. With their water supply running low, Tim chooses to drink from a pool, assuring Millie it tastes acceptable. Unfortunately, this turns out to be a mistake. The rain leaves them stranded for the night, and upon waking, they discover that some sort of sticky webbing has bonded the outer parts of their legs together, causing separation to be excruciatingly painful.

At that moment, director Shanks is at his most mischievous best, while Brie and Franco dive headfirst into a bizarre situation. Things become increasingly odd when Tim ends the long-standing abstinence between them in a school bathroom, sticking them together intimately. This act elicited uproarious laughter and a mix of shock from the crowded Sundance audience. Gentlemen, you might find yourselves gripping tightly!

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In this instance, director Shanks is reveling in his mischievous side, while Brie and Franco immerse themselves fully into an increasingly strange predicament. The situation reaches a new level of oddity when Tim shatters the prolonged abstinence between them in a school bathroom, bonding them intimately. This act brought forth roars of laughter and a shiver of discomfort from the packed Sundance audience. Men, brace yourselves!

In a powerful earlier moment, there’s a subtle suggestion of their strong attraction when Millie goes to work, while at home, Tim is forcefully shaken up in his shower by some unseen power. A local physician (Aljin Abella) suggests Diazepam as a treatment, attributing it to an anxiety-triggered seizure.

From that point forward, matters grow increasingly complex, and it’s evident that slick Jamie may be concealing more information than he reveals. (Herriman skillfully maintains an underlying sense of menace, for the time being.) While waiting for the city train, Tim’s tense muscles make him resemble a zombie, involuntarily pulled towards Millie. He attempts to clarify it later by stating, “It feels like my mind and body aren’t communicating properly.

As I play, Shanks’ creative horror scenes become increasingly intense. Any interaction between Tim and Millie feels like they’re stuck together magnetically. Every attempt to maintain a safe space only seems to pull us closer, turning us into marionettes. When we’re apart, we seem to lash out at ourselves, as if the distance is causing harm.

In everyday terms, the duo Brie and Franco experience intense passion and emotional involvement as they navigate through a Cronenberg-style predicament. This ordeal underscores themes of codependency, fear of commitment, and the apprehension about losing one’s identity within a relationship. Particularly striking is how these themes become more pronounced when a couple’s life becomes increasingly solitary. The question arises: How far should loving partners allow themselves to be influenced by each other?

As a gamer, I’ve found myself drawn into the twisted world of Shanks, where the chaos of real-life relationships takes a backseat to the macabre joy of elastic bodies. The humor here is dark, but effective, derived from the mundanity of social media, heartwarming gay weddings, the unexpected use of muscle relaxants against supernatural entities, and let’s not forget that terrifying electric saw. It’s a breath of fresh air to witness a horror game that leans more on old-school suspense and disgust than modern jump scares.

The climax of the film applies rubbery distortions to Demi Moore’s character for a comically grotesque impact, leaving you questioning if there was still some of Demi Moore beneath the squirming, stretched skin (for your information, the production of Together started before the release of The Substance). It’s an interesting detail that amidst all the surprise and astonishment over their physical transformations, Millie and Tim manage to express their enduring devotion. This results in a hilarious – and expertly timed – visual joke at the end.

Shanks might benefit from refining his emotional depth (and improving his writing) in future projects. However, even if this film seems like a warm-up before unleashing a torrent of physical violence, “_Together_” showcases him as an emerging talent worth keeping an eye on. It’s an excellent choice for a late-night date movie for those who aren’t easily disturbed.

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2025-01-29 03:25