“Together Together” is not just smart, it’s sneaky-smart. You go into it thinking you know what you’re getting into, and feeling impatient or dismissive as a result, because the movie conspicuously makes choices that seem intended to announce which boxes it’s about to check off. Then it keeps confounding you—in a way that’s understated rather than show-offy—until you have to accept it on its own terms. It’s the perfect storytelling tactic for a movie about a surrogate mother and her patron, a divorced man 20 years her senior. The main characters don’t fully appreciate each other until they quit trying to categorize their relationship and let it be whatever it’s going to be, while trying not obsess over what’ll happen once the baby is born.

The rope-a-dope strategy starts in the opening sequence. A middle-aged man named Matt interviews a young woman named Anna in what initially seems like a speed date, then a job interview (it’s both, in a way). The questions are cutesy yet invasive (“What’s the worst thing you’ve ever done?”).

As it turns out, this is not the kind of film where the leads overcome social obstacles and live happily every after as husband and wife. In fact, it turns out to be a rare film about two characters you’ve never seen in a movie. They initially seem cut from middling romantic comedy cloth. Writer/director Nikole Beckwith and her lead actors gesture in that direction by having Matt and Anna quickly disclose shared feelings of loneliness and aloneness (different concepts) and talk about their troubled pasts. Matt is the designer of a masochistic app called Loner that lets users browse profiles of other singles; they’re not allowed to save profiles unless they favorite them, and they can only pick one to favorite. Matt’s marriage collapsed for undisclosed reasons (basic incompatibility, it seems). But he decided to have a kid anyway, using his own sperm and a donated egg. He’s acutely self-conscious about being a single, straight man in his predicament. Anna got pregnant in college, gave the baby up for adoption, and earned the double-ire of her parents, who considered her a failure both for having an unplanned pregnancy and not keeping the kid. “It seemed as if the only way they would be happy is if I was wildly unhappy,” she tells Matt.

But the more time you spend with these two, the harder it is to categorize what kinds of characters they are, much less compare the film to others or predict what’ll happen to the main couple. In fact, it feels wrong to call them “a couple.” They’re more than friends, less than lovers. Well, not “less than,” because that phrase implies that a romantic relationship is greater than friendship. Then again, is this even a friendship? Anna asks that. She’s right to wonder. Matt doesn’t know how to respond. 

It’s complicated. Money is involved. They’ve held hands, but not each other. They’ve shared secrets, but not a bed. Anna isn’t attracted to Matt, and to the extent that Matt makes overtures in that direction, they seem obligatory, as if he’s been conditioned to expect a heteronormative fantasy outcome (as academics might describe it). What drives these two? What are we looking at when we look at them? Anna and Matt’s predicament is like that moment when you’re working on a project late at night, bleary-eyed and easily distracted, and stare at a commonplace word like “door” for a long time and think, “Is that really how it’s spelled?”

The script has a three-trimester structure. In the first trimester, you wonder if Beckwith is incompetent, bad at conveying basic plot information, or just messing with your head. The characters keep ending up in situations that make you wonder if boundaries were even discussed (as when Matt is present in a room where Anna is being wanded by an obstetrics nurse, and brings Anna a gift of a human-sized teddy bear, the go-to impulse buy in unimaginative romantic comedies). By the second trimester, Matt and Anna seem to be getting along so well that you wonder if the film is going to have them fall in love and get married anyway. Matt is an unglamorous but decent man, the “good catch” in rom-coms who might end up with the female lead after a sexier but more chaotic and self-centered man broke her heart. Matt is constantly doing little favors for Anna and questions himself when he inadvertently upsets her. Anna is grateful for the compliments he gives her, as well as the way he rescues her from awkward situations. 

“Together Together” is a sturdy film that’s determined to avoid the obvious choice. It invites inattentive viewers to put it down for being something it only pretended to be, on purpose, and only briefly. Harrison and Helms are a thoughtful duo. Each has a melancholy streak. Each seems determined to surprise the other and refuse to allow simplistic choices to pass unchallenged. Mutual respect comes through in their performances. There’s a scene in a birthing class that might constitute the best acting either has done to date. 

The end of the tale is the climax that the trimester structure demands. By that point you might find yourself invested in the happiness of characters whose relationship is hard to sum up. Some of the most memorable sections of the film are montages where you watch a character go about their self-involved business without noticing the other’s wounded feelings. The last shot reminded me of the closing images of The Graduate in that it refuses to supply answers, instead leaving viewers with a single question: Now what?

STORY COACHING

THE POWER OF YOUR STORY. REWRITE YOUR STORY, TRANSFORM YOUR LIFE AND BUSINESS

“Your story is your life,” says Peter de Kuster. As human beings, we continually tell ourselves stories — of success or failure; of power or victimhood; stories that endure for an hour, or a day, or an entire lifetime. We have stories about ourselves, our creative business, our customers ; about what we want and what we’re capable of achieving. Yet, while our stories profoundly affect how others see us and we see ourselves, too few of us even recognize that we’re telling stories, or what they are, or that we can change them — and, in turn, transform our very destinies.

Telling ourselves stories provides structure and direction as we navigate life’s challenges and opportunities, and helps us interpret our goals and skills. Stories make sense of chaos; they organize our many divergent experiences into a coherent thread; they shape our entire reality. And far too many of our stories, says Peter, are dysfunctional, in need of serious editing. First, he asks you to answer the question, “In which areas of my life is it clear that I cannot achieve my goals with the story I’ve got?” He then shows you how to create new, reality-based stories that inspire you to action, and take you where you want to go both in your work and personal life.

Our capacity to tell stories is one of our profoundest gifts. Peter’s approach to creating deeply engaging stories will give you the tools to wield the power of storytelling and forever change your business and personal life.

Amidst today’s uncertainty, it is more important than ever to rewrite your story and transform your life and work. Dive deep into your unique story and areas for growth with the coaching of Peter de Kuster.

IS THE POWER OF YOUR STORY COACHING FOR YOU?

• You are a professional  who is interested in transform the story you tell yourself about yourself to yourself. The story about your life,  the story about your relations, the story about your work or your story about your happiness.
• You are aware that there are no quick fixes. Learning is a journey that works when you are fully committed to it. Coaching can bring awareness and help you navigate, but in the end it’s you who is in charge of your growth.
• You want to learn more about how to resource yourself, learn about blind spots, and get feedback.
• You are curious and want to engage in online coaching
• You are motivated to work in-between sessions on yourself (e.g. working on homework assignments that will help you develop new storytelling, skills, and behaviors).

WHAT’S YOUR COACHING QUESTION?

The Power of Your Story Coaching is all about your development. To make the most out of your sessions, we ask you to prepare topics to work on with Peter. These topics can serve as a starting point for further in-depth exploration with Peter.

These coaching topics typically resonate with the professionals Peter works with:

How can I stay authentic?

What are my values and how do I align these with my life and work?

How can I manage my time and energy better? 

How can I have impact with my stories?

How can I handle pressure better?

About Peter de Kuster

Peter de Kuster is the founder of The Power of Your Story project,  a storytelling firm which helps professionals to create careers and lives based on whatever story is most integral to their lives and careers (values, traits, skills and experiences). Peter’s approach combines in-depth storytelling and marketing expertise, and for over 20 years clients have found it effective with a wide range of creative business issues.

Peter is writer of the series The Heroine’s Journey and Hero’s Journey books, he has an MBA in Marketing,  MBA in Financial Economics and graduated at university in Sociology and Communication Sciences.

PRICING

1 session for EUR 350 (excl. VAT)

3 sessions for EUR 995 (excl. VAT)

6 sessions for EUR 1,950 (excl. VAT)

9 sessions for EUR 2,850 (excl. VAT)

FAQ

Who can sign up for The Power of Your Story coaching?

Professionals who wish to improve their storytelling skills and mindset.

What language do we speak in the coaching sessions?

English.

Can I buy coaching for my organization?

Yes, you can! We support many organizations around the world with their coaching needs. Please contact us for more information.

Can I bring my own topics?

Yes, for individual coaching you get to choose your own topic.

Are coaching sessions confidential?

Yes. Peter will not share anything that is discussed in the coaching sessions.

How do I sign up?

Send Peter a mail to theherojourneyquestionnaires@gmail.com to start booking your coaching sessions.