User reviews

Dennis Kelly and Sharon Horgan co-wrote the brilliant sitcom 'Pulling'; here, Horgan stars in what is really a televised play that Kelly has written about one couple trying to survive the era of COVID-19. An excellent James McAvoy co-stars alongside her. Kelly's writing is sharp, humane, and politically angry, but in a talky piece the overall direction is somewhat predictable. It's good, but it's also quite long for what is essentially a pair of interlaced monologues.

Greetings again from the darkness. As expected, we are beginning to see an influx of "pandemic" movies and TV shows. What wasn't expected is the unique and creative approach in this one from Co-directors Stephen Daldry (THE HOURS, 2002) and Justin Martin. The script is from Dennis Kelly and the writing, directing, and acting all work together seamlessly to create quite an unusual viewing experience.

The weight of the movie rests on the outstanding performances from James McAvoy and Sharon Horgan (GAME NIGHT, 2018). They don't simply break the fourth wall, they outright obliterate it. These two characters, whose names we never learn, talk directly to us viewers at least as often as they do to each other. The story begins in March 2020 on the first day of COVID quarantine, and carries through for a full year. As we open, the relationship has admittedly run its course, though as the days go by, circumstances can change things. The two are joined in the house by 10 year old son Artie (Samuel Logan), who spends an inordinate amount of time hovering in the background, hearing the two adults say things he shouldn't hear. They appear to devote very little time to the boy's stress ... although their own feelings are front and center.

It's a bit off-putting at first as we adjust to the couple speaking directly to us. On top of that, the sharing of personal information and the overlapping dialogue of their caustic exchanges meant to hurt, make this feel a bit like we are intruding. But the conversations are so relatable since we've all experienced the uncertainty and frustration wrought by the pandemic. In a short amount of time, we understand these two. He shares the story of his early confrontation with a grocery clerk over his son's food choices, while she explains the guilt associated with an ailing elderly mother during a lockdown. Their "mushroom" story is certainly one for the ages, and again, provides much insight into these two people of distinctly opposite political spectrums.

Daldry and Martin filmed this in just 10 days, and with the entire piece taking place on the lower level of the couple's flat, the film has a definite stage feel - accentuated by the long takes and aura of live performances. The dialogue stands in for action, and Ms. Horgan's explanation of the reality of "exponential growth" in regards to COVID is one of the most stunning math classes you'll attend. This is a case study of personalities and the relationship effects of a pandemic, and it is infused with enough dark comedy to keep it entertaining, rather than depressing. Some similarities exist to the SXSW film THE END OF US, though this one is quite a different viewing experience.

Bleeker Street is releasing TOGETHER in theaters on 8/27/21 and digitally on 9/14/21.

The dark comedy "Together" chronicles the topsy-turvy year of a COVID-19 locked- down couple, He (James McAvoy) and She (Sharon Horgan), and briefly, their son, Artie (Samuel Logan). We are treated in excruciating closeups to the upended lives of lovers, for whom the claustrophobic life has brought out the meanest and most loving sides of their volatile personalities.

She is a righteous liberal running a refugee-aiding agency and He, probably a Tory in disguise heads a boutique tech company. In the first at they can't stand to be with each other. She is occupied with saving her mother from the pandemic by placing her in a care facility (clueless about the fate of that decision!) and he with encounters at the grocery store that stoke his misanthropic anger.

As we remember the dialogue treat of Richard Linklater's chatty series with Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, main director Stephen Daldry and writer Dennis Kelly also provide their actors with smart dialogue and room to improvise as they attempt to explain the love/hate feelings to their partner. The pandemic is, of course, prominent and tyrannical, but the depth of their feelings leads us to believe that COVID has given them a chance to take a bite out of reality that may have never surfaced in normal times.

Consummate actors like McAvoy dine on chances like this, and he doesn't disappoint. Each closeup shows how he uses his face to relay a thousand nuances, mimicking the multiple strands of the virus and the countless sides of human nature. Many times, the actors talk to the camera, violating happily the sacred fourth wall but creating an unusual intimacy with us, the visitors.

When McAvoy as He recounts an encounter with a "hero" in Walmart, his varied reactions are magnetizing as you may wonder how an actor can summon up these amazing expressions. We know, however, by the end of this remarkable long take the ambiguities of his character and the tragedy of the pandemic.

The third act concludes in Aristotelean balance while it leaves open life to continue its uncertainties, virus or no virus. "Together" shows how we are in this together, and talking it out may be one successful way to overcome the unfairness of life.

Sharon Horgan and James McAvoy acting together, with a screenplay by Dennis Kelly (who worked on the script for Utopia), and directed by Stephen Daldry. What a line-up! I am trying to watch it, but the constant acting to camera, and angrily moaning about the relationship, is wearing. Everything else is excellent - camerawork, sound, lighting, physical direction, costumes, make-up, editing, and everyone else in the team doing a superb job. I just wish the script was less about complaints, and there was no speaking to camera. It is like being harangued.

I'm not sure what I was expecting here, so it's hard to say I was disappointed, but that's the word that fits best. This unusual deep dive into Covid isolation in the UK was intriguing on the surface, and the acting was great, but the funny wasn't funny enough, the sad was realistic but depressing, and the political (which I mostly agree with) was a bit overdone. I think they had something cool here, but failed nonetheless.

Knocking down the fourth wall, and inviting viewers into their quarantine drama was unique, but despite the solid acting, I couldn't relate to Horgan and McAvoy as a "couple" enough to care about them. They were just too horribly mismatched and parentally inept to like and find believable. Again, a cool idea and presentation, but I feel they missed the mark, and this could have been better.

The concept reminds me of the movie "Locked Down", just with a heavier touch in regard to the emotions. It feels like a vlog between a troubled, married couple, filmed with you watching as a third person which is a different experience for me. It's not exceptional but I think they did everything great, the casting, acting, visuals; there aren't any stunning views or anything, everything is kept simple which allows you to focus only on the dialogue between the two, and I assume that's what the movie is about.

I expected more. I thought it was going to be intimate, to make you feel or relate to the couple, instead it just just feels like you're watching a documentation of their dying relationship, you don't feel you just watch it happen. It's sorta depressing though not really enough to dampen your mood,I think that's owing to the fact that it's a bit forgettable. It's not sad enough or funny enough to leave an impression. I'd still watch although it's not for everyone as most can't stand watching only two people converse and that's fine, to each their own I guess.

Two wonderful actors deliver pure misery for an hour an a half.

It's also boring a repetitive.

Not sure what to make of it.

Was hoping for a few laughs.

James McAvoy and Sharon Horgan are brilliant in this exploration of lockdown dynamics. Writer Dennis Kelly uses the camera, and therefore the audience, as a kind of silent therapist for the characters, a married couple who may be are or may be not at the end of their relationship. There are some bravura solos and duets, carefully charted by director Stephen Daldry. The whole thing is both highly artificial and entirely natural, a real triumph for all concerned. I had a couple of reservations about one of Horgan's monologues -- the writing, not the performing -- in that it felt a bit more like a newspaper column than a speech, but that apart I was grateful for the sheer quality of what I was watching. It's a relief to be treated as an adult.

No pun intended - Covid 19! A tough nut to crack ... even for the Christmas nutcracker I suppose! But that pun also aside, the movie is not easy to say the least. It plays like a ... well play! And it may annoy you - not just the fact that the actors talk directly to you (yes fourth wall is missing) .. and those who had to go through the Pandemic ... and survived will feel for the things the couple has to go through.

So many emotions ... so many things that went sideways. Together we can manage things - but we are still alone! And no time like a pandemic makes that clearer ... we only really know ourselves! Sometimes not even that ... but all the issues that may brew underneath come forward. So while I am not sure how some will receive the movie ... I do know that the actors do their very best! Without looking what Bafta this won ... I would be surprised if it didn't have to do with acting ... while this will not solve problems, it is a piece of not just movie but also "normal" history ...

I gave up after 6 minutes as I Could not get past the camera as a third person, if they were talking to each other it may have been better.

What a great idea to document a time in our lives through fiction but in real time.

I laughed and cried throughout the whole thing. It showed so much of the everyday lives of all of living through this pandemic and touched on so many issues. Absolutely gorgeous acting and very funny. Would make a great play.

The movie is boring. The third person was annoying. No laughs, could not handle it. Nice actors but this movie isn't worth the ticket price. Do not recommend unless if you want to sleep during the movie.

Filthy language and more like a discussion with the audience. Thankfully we got our tickets switched to see a different movie.

Fabulous concept and delivery by two of our finest actors. I'm a sucker for anything that Sharon Horgan does and this doesn't disappoint. Shades of the relationship she developed with Rob Delaney in Catastrophe but with a more serious observation on the human condition.

James Macavoy is simply superb and his performance reminded me of those delivered by Martin Sheen and David Tennant in Staged.

All in all brilliant script, concept and delivery.

James M is a great actor (split) and Sharon was great in catastrophe. Together in this movie with the camera as a third person they did not work. I watched the first 15 minutes and the last 10 minutes and want that time back.

A dark comedy drama exploring the story of a disfunctiontional couple, who hates each others but stay together for the "sake" of their son, throughout the covid-19's lockdown from 2020 up to at least 1st half of 2021. At first i thought that it's still a bit early to explore this theme, but it's actually a perfect time to release it.

You'll have a good laugh and cry out of this movie, brilliant script and performance from both James McAvoy & Sharon Horgan. It does it feels like a play, since they're mostly involved us into their conversations, they look straight to the camera. At first, it's kind of weird but it doesn't lasts that long for me to be hooked to the story.

1.5 hrs doesn't feels that long, I even surprises when the movie ends because I thought it still have like at least 30 minutes to go. I've re-watched it at least 4 times as for now, and each time it's still gives me a good laugh & heartbreak at the same time. Even if you're not from the UK, you'll somehow still can relate about a few aspects explored in this movie.

It's just good. Give it a try.

Together is a curious Covid drama of a warring unmarried couple played by James McAvoy and Sharon Horgan.

Both are on the verge of splitting up until they are both stuck together in lockdown.

It gives them a chance to reassess their relationship as well have monologues on the effect of Covid in their lives.

The couple are a contrast. The man is Tory supporting business owner, happy to flash the cash if need be and mocking key workers when the mood takes him. The woman is a lefty charity worker but condescending with it as well.

Directed by the acclaimed Stephen Daldry. Together strives to be a modern version of Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Both characters can be extremely cruel and mean to each other.

It is a spiky unflinching drama but to me it felt like a stage play.

Together worked better when it tackled the issues relating to Covid. I had little time for the couple's relationship problems.

It's just so boring. It has an interesting premise and performances by the two leads are excellent but even that couldn't save the movie. The dialogues mainly are uninteresting and shallow. The way they talk to the audience is bad, also the way they both sometimes talk quickly and loudly at the same time is so annoying. This movie could have been much better with its potentials.

Elevated by two impressive and fully commited performances, encircled in an historic pandemic and echoing the fears and inner battles that soars in everyone around the world, 'Together' is that movie with a theatre heart that actually works. A must see!

While the movie tries to unveil some stupidity that was going on since 2020, still it can't deliver some strong message other than crash course into "exponential". The wound is still fresh, and making controversial statements would easily get people cancelled in this crazy world we happened to live in now.

But how great it would be if one of them turned out to be a so called "conspiracy theorists", you know, those people who dare to remind everyone about 98% survival rate or those who were spreading "theories" about vaccines becoming mandatory even before they became mandatory?

However, the wound is still fresh. Such a movie would only be possible a year or two from now. Later, when we leave all the masks, lockdowns and vaccine passports behind (hopefully), or maybe when they become "the new normal", just like shoes removal at the airports.

As for the movie itself and its two main characters, the development is antsy and sometimes it's hard to understand their actions. But I guess that's the way of demonstrating us so called lockdown fatigue. The actors do well and emotions are felt real, it's just that the whole premise is rather silly and the way of introducing spectators into this stage is awkward as well. Most of the time you have this strange feeling of when it's time to go from a family or friends dinner since they start to talk to each other about own problems, but still they address you from time to time to ask your opinion so you just sit and listen to all this nonsense.

IN A NUTSHELL:

The official summary of this dark comedy movie from Bleeker Street says: "This is the story of a family, like so many, who found a way to survive - together. It is the hilarious and heartbreaking story of a husband and wife who are forced to re-evaluate themselves and their relationship through the reality of lockdown." The movie is directed by Academy Award-nominated Stephen Daldry with co-director Justin Martin.

Speaking about the movie, writer Dennis Kelly explains: "Together is about a couple who totally hate each other, but have somehow found a way of existing together by not talking to, thinking about, noticing, communicating with or being in the same room as each other - then lockdown happens. It's about how humans negotiate their shared experiences when they think they have nothing in common other than staying alive, and it's about how you can hate what you love and love what you hate. And Sharon Horgan and James McAvoy are brilliant in it."

THINGS I LIKED:

I LOVE LOVE James McAvoy and think he's such an incredibly talented actor. He gives a fantastic performance in this, as expected. The truth is that he's a brilliant chameleon of an actor. Some actors play the same character in all of their films, but he absolutely doesn't. To me, that's true acting.

When James McAvoy learned that Sharon Horgan would be cast in the role opposite him, he said it was a no-brainer to join the project.

I think the first time Sharon Horgan was on my radar was when I saw her in MILITARY WIVES. She is an equal match for McAvoy which is an impressive feat.

I appreciated the little details from the very beginning such as the stockpiling of toilet paper we see in the first scene, the evolution of mask-wearing, and changing artwork on the wall created by the son who is partly being homeschooled during the pandemic, etc.

Hidden among the ugly zingers about each other are sweet compliments and sparks of true love between these two people.

Super entertaining writing by Tony Award-winner Dennis Kelly. It's emotionally raw, brutally honest, witty, and real. The amount of lines that need to be memorized and delivered by the two actors is astounding. The movie was shot in only 10 days.

The characters' names are "He" and "She" because they represent all of us and what we have all gone through during the pandemic this past year.

Stephen Daldry has created some truly unique films with touching lessons and insights like The Hours, Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close.

The last conversation the couple had was touching and I thought the final shot of the neighboring kids jumping on their trampolines was perfect.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:

It would be exhausting to have to be locked down in quarantine with these people. Most people would prefer getting Covid to spending more time with them.

I feel guilty because my family's quarantine experience has been VERY different from what this movie portrays, almost peaceful and enjoyable, despite the horrifying numbers of deaths and fear humanity has gone through all around me.

Some viewers won't enjoy how the actors break the 4th wall and talk directly to the camera with no explanation of who the third person is supposed to be.

Some viewers won't be interested in watching this because they'll feel like they already experienced it for themselves.

I felt so bad for the son, Artie, to have to live in such a toxic environment.

I thought the closing song choice was odd.

TIPS FOR PARENTS:

Kids will be totally bored.

Profanity, including many F-bombs.

The couple talks about their intimate relations.

There is quite a bit of political talk. He and She have completely different political philosophies and the writer's own perspective peeks through in moments.

l.

The most boring movie I've seen in a long time, it's just a bunch of rambling.

Lot of overly exaggerated acting by the two leading actors who played the couple. There's nothing to make you interested for this bored-you-to-death British movie. The couple in this movie were not likable at all. I even spotted the guy who played the husband who looked at the camera very often. When they sat at the counter eating mushrooms, his mouth didn't shut tight when chewing, so the noises came out of his mouth were just too overwhelmingly loud and annoying.

There's absolutely nothing worth you to invest over 10 to 15 minutes of your awakening time to watch this lame movie. Just another very typical British movie, totally unnecessary.