Dave Franco and Alison Brie star in body horror comedy Together, tackling codependency with humor and chilling transformations.
Dave Franco and Alison Brie, married for nearly a decade, star together as an on-screen couple for the first time in the body horror comedyTogether. Their characters, Millie, an elementary school teacher, and Tim, an aspiring musician in his 30s, struggle with relationship tensions and personal issues, setting the stage for the film’s blend of grotesque horror and dark humor.
The story unfolds as Millie grows frustrated with Tim’s lack of drive, spurred by his emotional distance following a traumatic family event. Despite these problems, they reluctantly move from the city to a rural small town for Millie’s new job, forcing them into unfamiliar territory that only exacerbates their resentments. Soon after arriving, a fateful hike into nearby woodland leads them into a subterranean cave, triggering disturbing physical changes with frightening consequences.
Balancing Horror and Humor Through Physical Performance
The movie’s promotional material, featuring surreal images of merging body parts, hints at the unsettling grossness audiences can expect from Together. However, the film intertwines its horror elements with comedy, drawing from both actors’ extensive backgrounds in sitcoms and studio comedies. Franco explained the approach during an interview in London, emphasizing the film’s grounded tone despite its extreme scenarios.
“It’s not a jokey movie. It’s not like we’re throwing out a bunch of one-liners,”
Franco said.
Image of: Dave Franco
“It’s more [that] our characters are in the most ridiculous scenarios you can imagine, and then we played it very straight and very grounded, and hopefully the comedy comes from that. It’s nice when a horror movie gives you permission to laugh and be in on the joke, and isn’t too self-serious.”
Both Brie and Franco committed fully to the demanding physicality their roles required, as their characters’ bodies begin acting unpredictably. Brie described discovering her love for physical acting through comedic roles and how that translated into this film’s unique challenges.
“My first foray into being more physical did start with physical comedy, and then I realized how much I love involving my body in my work and I’ve basically just amped it up ever since,”
Brie noted.
“In comedy and horror, there’s no place for vanity. We’re not worried about how we look when we’re in these crazy positions. You really have to give yourself over to the stakes of the situation.”
Franco added insight into the improvisational nature of their physical scenes, sharing how unpredictability increased the comedic and horrific impact.
“It’s really just about throwing yourself around with abandon and seeing what happens,”
Franco remarked.
“It’s not like we choreographed these moments in very specific ways. It’s more like, go nuts and let’s just see how weird it can get, and I think that’s the same with comedy… The more unpredictable it is, even to yourself, the better.”
The Rising Popularity of Body Horror in Contemporary Cinema
Body horror has traditionally thrived in smaller or international films, such as Julia Ducournau’s acclaimed Raw, and is often associated with David Cronenberg’s influential works from the 1980s. However, the genre appears to be experiencing renewed mainstream attention, marked by recent titles like The Substance earning Oscar nominations.
Brie reflected on body horror’s unique resonance with audiences, highlighting the universal connection people have with their changing bodies.
“Body horror is such an interesting genre,”
Brie said.
“Your body is the one thing that you can never escape, right? A lot of people have very complicated relationships with their body. Our bodies are always changing and growing. We’re getting older. There’s unstoppable forces that are pulling at your body at all times. So while people think of it as a niche genre, I actually think it’s so universal and relatable to everybody, and something like The Substance is so exciting because it really brought body horror into the contemporary conversation, whereas it kind of lived in the ’70s and ’80s prior to now.”
Franco agreed with this perspective, pointing out the genre’s ability to address profound human experiences through extreme imagery.
“You can use these movies that are very extreme to deal with very universal issues, like with The Substance and aging, with our film and codependency, and you can just tackle them in a very visceral way.”
At its core, Together examines the dynamics of codependency between Millie and Tim. Early in the film, Millie’s proposal to Tim during their going-away party is met with hesitation, illustrating the fragile state of their relationship. Frequent affectionate terms such as “babe” come to feel hollow, revealing their struggle to coexist emotionally.
As their physical conditions worsen, the couple is forced into closer proximity by circumstances beyond their control. Yet, this forced closeness does not necessarily lead to genuine resolution of their relationship problems; instead, it serves as a diversion from deeper issues. Despite this, Brie hopes that viewers will find sympathy for their struggles.
“I do think the trick of this movie is that even though these characters are at odds for the first half of the film, through the challenges that they face – to put it mildly – we do see how they can work as a couple,”
Brie shared.
“So I do hope that people are rooting for them.”
Franco added a sobering note about the film’s conclusion:
“But, you’re not wrong if you think it’s dreadful at the end.”
Release Information and Audience Expectations
Together is currently available in theaters across the United States and is scheduled to premiere in UKcinemas on August 15. Given its unique blend of body horror and comedy, combined with the personal chemistry of Franco and Brie, the film invites audiences to experience a visceral exploration of relationship strain through a genre that is gaining renewed cultural relevance.
