The perils of the dating scene are vast, but there are horrors in long-term relationships too. With intimacy and commitment, there can also come codependency and even convergence. Once individuals, some couples start to dress alike, act alike and even, terrifyingly, look alike.
On the comedic end, there’s the smug marrieds table of “Bridget Jones.” And then there’s the scary end in “Together,” in which convergence is rendered more literally and where the Spice Girls anthem “2 Become 1” takes on a whole new, horrifying meaning.
“Together,” written and directed by Australian filmmaker Michael Shanks in his feature debut, stars Alison Brie and Dave Franco as the converging couple Millie and Tim. Brie and Franco bring some authenticity to the roles — in real life, they’ve been together for nearly 15 years and married for eight. When they’re calling one another “babe” on-screen or reacting to the other’s light flirting with someone else, the lived-in comfort and easy rapport is evident. That’s not to say this film doesn’t require them to stretch or act, but the base credibility established by that off-screen fact goes a long way in selling the wild things that transpire down the line.
When we meet them, at a farewell party with friends in New York, they don’t seem particularly happy together as they prepare to embark on a big life step: moving to the country for Millie’s teaching job. Tim is embarrassed when he’s made aware of the fact that they’re dressed similarly and immediately changes. The mood overall is a little less than joyous — both seem hesitant and their friends aren’t exactly supportive either. We learn early that their physical relationship has been lacking for some time. But it’s already set in motion and Tim and Millie seem destined, or perhaps doomed, to stay together whether they like it or not.
There are a lot of strange things happening in the country before the body horror enters the picture. Tim is haunted by the memory of discovering his parents dead — a frightening image that we’re faced with several times. And he’s having a visceral reaction to some of the smells in the old home. A warning: Food does not pair well with “Together.”
But things start to go really downhill when the city couple goes for a little hike in the woods and ends up spending the night in a cavernous hole they’ve fallen into. In the morning, they discover their legs are stuck together by a gooey film. It’s immensely painful for them to separate. This is among the most minor of the disturbing images to come, so brace yourself. It might not be Cronenberg, but it’s effective.
We moviegoers can take the art of body horror for granted, but the makeup, prosthetics and effects teams deserve a lot of credit for making this work. Shanks has a command of the tone and pacing, which isn’t without moments of humor and lightness along with the trauma and gore. Tim, in this transformation, is suddenly very hot for Millie, which results in one particularly intense encounter that is at turns awkward, comedic, heartbreaking and utterly disgusting. It’s an impressive combination.
I’ll respectfully stay out of the debate about whether “Together” is the best or worst date-night movie ever (depends on the relationship, I’d say), but it could make for a fun double feature with its Sundance companion “Oh, Hi!”
There are times when “Together” does start to feel a bit redundant in the wait for the crescendo and conclusion. And like many horror movies, there might be a little too much explanation given for why these things are occurring. Perhaps the alternative would be equally frustrating.
Still, it’s an impressive work of independent cinema that stays shockingly grounded thanks to its two leads and their fearless performances. If Shanks can do “Together” with a limited budget, it’s exciting to think what he might dream up with a bigger canvas.
“Together,” a Neon release in theaters Wednesday, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “language, graphic nudity, brief drug content, sexual content, violent and disturbing content.” Running time: 102 minutes. Three stars out of four.
