Twisted Bonds: The Psychological Horror of 'Together'
In this episode of *Movies First*, Chris and Jessica delve into the unsettling depths of the new psychological horror film *Together*, which takes the concept of human relationships to a chilling extreme. The narrative centers around Tim, a struggling musician, and Millie, a dedicated teacher, whose nearly decade-long relationship becomes a nightmarish exploration of codependency. Chris highlights how the film transforms a simple story about moving to a small town into a disturbing reflection on the darker sides of love and dependency.
Jessica emphasizes the film's pivotal scenes, particularly a harrowing walk in the woods that spirals into chaos as the couple gets lost in a torrential downpour. This metaphor of feeling lost together resonates deeply, illustrating how relationships can become disorienting. The tension escalates further with a cave sequence that serves as a visual metaphor for their relationship's descent into turmoil. The director, Michael Shanks, pushes boundaries as Tim experiences hallucinations after drinking from a mysterious pool, leaving the audience grappling with the horror of losing control over both body and relationship.
Listeners will appreciate the unique special effects that portray the magnetic yet grotesque attraction between Tim and Millie, brought to life by real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie. Their performances add an authentic layer to the narrative, with Franco's portrayal capturing the horror of their predicament. The film's setting in an isolated small town amplifies the sense of entrapment, while the backstory elements, including a missing couple and deceased animals, heighten the atmosphere of inevitable doom.
Chris and Jessica discuss how *Together* subverts common relationship clichés, transforming phrases like "I can't live without you" into a literal curse, prompting viewers to reflect on the fine line between healthy attachment and dangerous dependency. With a solid rating of 7.5 out of 10, *Together* proves that horror can be intellectually stimulating while delivering visceral scares, leaving audiences questioning their own relationships long after the credits roll. Join Chris and Jessica as they explore this thought-provoking film that masterfully intertwines horror with the complexities of human connection.
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Chris: Horror movies used to be about monsters and killers,
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but lately they're tapping into something far
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more terrifying. The dark side of human
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relationships. This new film together
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takes that concept to a whole new level of disturbing.
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Jessica: You know what's fascinating about this one? The
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way it transforms a simple story about moving to a small
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town into this absolutely nightmarish exploration
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of codependency.
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Chris: Well, let's break down what makes it so effective. We've got
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tim, this struggling 35 year old musician who can't
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drive, and Millie, a teacher who's clearly the
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stabilizing force in their relationship. They've
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been together nearly 10 years, long enough to develop
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those subtle relationship dynamics that the film
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later twists into something horrifying.
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Jessica: And that's what makes the horror hit so much harder. Right,
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the way it takes such a relatable foundation and then completely
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destabilizes it.
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Chris: Exactly.
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And speaking of destabilizing, let's talk about that
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pivotal scene in the woods. You've got this
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couple taking what should be a simple walk,
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when suddenly they're caught in heavy rain, lost in
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unfamiliar territory. It's like, you
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know how relationships sometimes feel like you're lost together?
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Well, this film takes that metaphor and
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runs with it in the most terrifying way
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possible.
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Jessica: Oh, man. And then there's that cave sequence. The way
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Tim slips in and Millie tries to help but gets pulled down too.
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It's like watching a relationship spiral out of control in
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real time.
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Chris: And here's where director Michael Shanks really starts
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pushing boundaries. After Tim drinks from that
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mysterious pool, things get wild.
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The hallucinations, the loss of bodily control.
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It's like watching someone slowly realize they're trapped in
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their own skin. But what's really genius is
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how there's no explanation offered, it
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just happens and they have to deal with it.
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Jessica: Well, that's what makes it so effective as psychological horror,
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isn't it? The way it plays on our fears of losing
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control, both of our bodies and our
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relationships.
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Chris: You know what's really interesting? The special effects they
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use to portray this magnetic attraction between them.
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It's completely unique in the body horror genre.
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Uh, like we've seen all kinds of
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grotesque transformations before, but this
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forced physical connection, that's new
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territory.
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Jessica: And having real life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie play
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these roles adds this whole other layer of authenticity,
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don't you think?
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Chris: Oh, absolutely. Franco especially
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brings this incredible naturalism to his performance.
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The way he maintains these disturbed expressions throughout
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the film. You can literally see the horror of
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their situation written across his face.
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And, um, let's not forget about those
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backstory elements. The missing local
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couple, the dead dogs who drank from the same pool.
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It all creates this sense of inevitable
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doom.
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Jessica: That element of mystery really amplifies the horror, doesn't
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it? The fact that there's no
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explanation, no solution presented.
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It makes the whole situation feel so much more hopeless.
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Chris: And the setting, this isolated small country town,
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the mysterious bushland, it all contributes
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to this overwhelming sense of being trapped.
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There's no escape, no help coming. They're
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stuck together in this nightmare, both literally and
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figuratively.
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Jessica: So what do you think about how the film subverts these common
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relationship phrases, like I can't live
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without you becomes this literal curse?
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Chris: That's exactly what makes it so brilliant. It takes
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these cliches about codependent relationships and
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gives them this horrifying physical manifestation.
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Like, we all want closeness in our relationships, right?
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But where's the line between healthy attachment and
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dangerous codependency? This film
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takes those questions to their extreme horrifying
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conclusion.
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Jessica: Well, that gradual escalation really helps sell
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the horror, too. By the time we get to the really
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bizarre elements, we're already invested in these
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characters.
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Chris: And that's what makes together stand
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out in today's horror landscape. It's not
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just trying to shock or disgust. It's using
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horror elements to explore genuine human
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fears about relationships,
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dependency and loss of control.
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It proves that horror can be both intellectually
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challenging and emotionally devastating
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while still delivering those visceral scares.
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Jessica: You know what's really going to stick with viewers? The way it
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makes you question your own relationships and dependencies long
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after the credits roll.
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Chris: Well, that's the mark of truly effective horror, isn't it?
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When it follows you home, it makes you look at your own life
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differently. This film might be about a
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supernatural force binding two people together,
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but it really makes you think about the invisible forces that bind us
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all in our relationships. We're giving together a score
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of seven and a half out of ten.
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