Movie · 2024 · Action, Comedy · 1h 49m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 0.5/10 (58.9K ratings)
Old flame. New mission.
Overview
A New Jersey construction worker goes from regular guy to aspiring spy when his long-lost high school sweetheart recruits him for an espionage mission.
Ratings
Curator score: 0.5/10
IMDb: 5.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes: 36%
Metacritic: 44
TMDB: 6.1/10
Director
Julian Farino
Production
Municipal Pictures, Closest to the Hole Productions, Leverage Entertainment
Cast
Mark Wahlberg, Halle Berry, J.K. Simmons, Mike Colter, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jessica De Gouw, Alice Lee, Jackie Earle Haley, Stephen Campbell Moore, Lorraine Bracco, Dana Delany, Patch Darragh, James McMenamin, Juan Carlos Hernández, Alex Brightman, Lucy Cork, Jen Jacob, Julianna Kurokawa, Adam Collins, Riley Neldam
Where to watch
Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A generic spy-comedy with a high-concept setup but little spark, chemistry, or memorable action. The premise promises a fish-out-of-water romp, but the execution feels flat, overfamiliar, and instantly forgettable.
Best for
Viewers who want undemanding streaming action-comedy background noise
Fans of lightweight espionage premises more than sharp writing
People specifically curious about the lead pairing
Skip if
You want strong chemistry or witty banter
You expect inventive action or a fresh spy-movie angle
You’re tired of formulaic Netflix originals
Overview
The Union starts with a decent hook: an ordinary construction worker gets pulled into the spy world by a long-lost high school sweetheart. That setup could have supported a breezy, character-driven action-comedy with some real personality. Instead, the movie settles into a familiar streaming-movie rhythm, where every beat feels engineered rather than discovered.
Worth noting
The biggest issue is that the central relationship never catches fire. The film depends on the lead pairing to sell the fantasy, but the chemistry is thin and the dialogue rarely gives them anything playful or surprising to do. Even the action, while competent, is standard issue rather than exciting.
Bottom line
There are flashes of charm in the premise and cast, but they’re not enough to overcome how generic the whole package feels. This is the kind of movie that may be mildly serviceable if it’s already on, but it doesn’t justify seeking out.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Joe A (1.5★) · 1056 likes
Netflix: So check it out. We got this killer original idea about a top secret organization called the Union that needs to recruit a blue collar worker to stop the sinister Auctioneer from selling intel that will expose the identity of secret agents everywhere.
Mark Wahlberg: I wake up at 2:30am to work out and use a cryo chamber to recover. I also haven’t made a good movie since 2013.
Netflix: you’re hired.
Kylo (3★) · 861 likes
Halle Berry’s hair has travelled all the way from 2006 and wants to speak to the manager.
Jesse Frost (1.5★) · 585 likes
This can't be what the strikes were for!
Rory Cashin (1.5★) · 359 likes
This is what happens when an immoveable object (Mark Wahlberg's complete lack of chemistry with anyone) meets an unstoppable force (Halle Berry's ability to create chemistry with literally anyone).
Kit Lazer (1★) · 315 likes
Mission: Forgettable. Would have been a good movie in 1996 if it starred Martin Lawrence.