"Together Together," written and directed by Nikole Beckwith, attempts to be a romantic comedy centered on surrogacy, but falls far short. This lifeless and uninspired film was among the most disheartening presentations at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival, and it’s an early frontrunner for worst movie of the year. Matt (played by Ed Helms) is a forty-year-old man who has always desired to start a family. Being single and wanting a baby, he contracts with Anna (Patti Harrison), a young woman in her twenties, to carry a child for him. The reasoning behind selecting her—that she previously relinquished a baby during high school—is unsettling. As Matt eagerly anticipates the arrival of his child, and because he inserts himself into the process to be as involved as possible, Anna finds herself spending increasing amounts of time with him. A non-romantic connection blossoms between them, leading to a close friendship. The concept isn’t inherently flawed, but its execution is deeply problematic. The film fails to elicit any genuine laughter, and jarring scenes—such as Anna demonstrating how a tampon works or a dinner conversation about abortion rights—feel completely out of place and miss the mark. Helms delivers his characteristic amiable and somewhat silly performance, however, he and Harrison lack believable chemistry, which ultimately undermines the entire movie. Although it doesn’t seem to be what the filmmakers intended, I found the storyline bordered on offensive toward women. Anna is depicted as an emotional tool, seemingly unable to maintain impartiality in fulfilling her contractual obligations. While she agrees to the surrogacy arrangement for compensation, she displays sadness when she isn't given prominent attention at the baby shower. She seems bothered by not being considered important within Matt’s family and friend circle, and appears disappointed that she can’t participate in the joy of parenthood. This moment feels condescending because it suggests women are overly emotional and incapable of separating their feelings from a purely business-based agreement. The narrative also feels outdated, presenting the idea that men too can desire to be independent fathers—a notion that apparently warrants surprise. The film drags on until its predictable conclusion, which includes a standard childbirth scene, and ends with an ambiguous fade to black that is more welcome than frustrating.

Source on TMDB