After working on Michael Shanks’ “Together,” Alison Brie and Dave Franco know what body appendage they would like to be conjoined to if they found themselves stuck to one another.
“Genitals at all times,” Franco said during the film’s interview at the Comic-Con Variety Studio presented by Google TV.
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“Together” follows Tim and Millie, a couple who find themselves at a crossroads with each other years into their relationship. When a threatening force brings them closer together, they must fight to save not only their relationships, but their bodies. The film was inspired by Shanks’ relationship with his partner of 16 years, who found themselves noticing how much of their lives were becoming intertwined with one another.
“She was taking on some of my personality traits. I’ve taken on some of hers. We have the same friendship group, we eat the same food, we breathe the same air. I realized this is such a fun area to explore the themes of being codependent or a kind of toxically codependent couple.”
While many shots of the film required training and SFX makeup to physically bring Franco and Brie in close proximity, the stars also brought their own relationship experience onto their character’s relationships with one another. In one sequence shown at Neon’s “Next Wave of Horror” panel, Franco and Brie’s characters find themselves being pulled towards one another as their bodies begin to contort.
“On one level, Dave and I have worked together so much. We’re married, we’ve been together over 13 years. Our level of nonverbal communication is very high. That came in handy on a very literal physical level. There were days where we were attached arm-to-arm for 10 hours going to the bathroom together,” says Brie.
Marketed as a body horror film, the “Together” team hopes that people in all types of relationships will be brought closer to their partners after watching.
“We’ve had amazing reactions from couples coming out of it saying that “[“Together”] really helped us out with some arguments we were having,” revealed Shanks. “One guy came up to me after the screening and was like “My wife begged me not to talk to you, but I think this movie is about us and I don’t think we’re gonna make it.” I hope it helps them to identify the flaws and if they break up, it’s not my fault.”
Google TV is the presenting sponsor of the Comic-Con Variety Studio.
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