Together
Modern horror movies are pretty much all metaphors for grief, but occasionally a brave filmmaker decides to explore a different topic.
Theoretically bold, writer/director Michael Shanks’ Together sets its sights on commitment phobia and adds an intriguing layer by casting real-life married couple Alison Brie and Dave Franco as the troubled romantic pair. But despite several memorable scenes, it largely plays out in uninspired fashion and builds to one of the biggest howlers of a final shot in quite some time.
In classic rural horror tradition, school teacher Millie (Brie) and her longtime, arrested-development musician boyfriend Tim (Franco) move from New York City to a comically small town. While Millie welcomes the change of scenery, Tim struggles with country life, which reminds him of his traumatic childhood. A more compelling performer could easily pull off the fraught emotions that this role demands, but the vanilla Franco isn't up to the challenge and quickly drags the film down.
Light years ahead of her husband as a performer, Brie carries Together, imbuing Millie’s increasing feelings of regret with an aching melancholy. Much as it pains her, she’d leave Tim — if she could. Turns out they made some poor decisions while out hiking, and try as they might to uncouple, it's not in the cards.
The pair’s supernatural inability to separate might be metaphorically rich if it wasn't so on the nose and mired by gimmicky body horror. Barely provocative, the glaringly digital effects are accompanied by some impressive physical acting by Brie and Franco, but to what ends? Inconsistently implemented, their curse isn't taken seriously by either of them until it's too late, and their theories regarding its specifics are just that: barely educated guesses.
When answers do arise, they land with an obvious thud, undermined by the economy of characters. And as for that ending — well, you’ll have to experience that misstep yourself.
Grade: D-plus. Rated R. Now playing at AMC River Hills 10, Carolina Cinemark, the Fine Arts Theatre, and Regal Biltmore Grande.
(Photo: Neon)
