The Union

"Old flame. New mission."

2024 1h 49m EN

😐

6.0

MID

★6.0TMDB · 1,237

ActionComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“Old flame. New mission.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Mark Wahlberg
Mike McKenna
Halle Berry
Roxanne Hall
J.K. Simmons
Tom Brennan
Mike Colter
Nick Faraday
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Frank Preiffer
Jessica De Gouw
Juliet Quinn
Alice Lee
Athena Kim
Jackie Earle Haley
Foreman

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Julian Farino
Writers: Joe Barton, David Guggenheim
Languages: English
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 2 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Julian Farino, shot by Alan Stewart. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Rupert Gregson-Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Pia Di Ciaula shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry and J.K. Simmons carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "Old flame. New mission.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt12610390 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Julian Farino directs. Alan Stewart behind the camera. Rupert Gregson-Williams scores. Pia Di Ciaula cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Released 2 years ago.
2Directed by Julian Farino, shot by Alan Stewart. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Rupert Gregson-Williams. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Pia Di Ciaula shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Mark Wahlberg and Halle Berry and J.K. Simmons carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "Old flame. New mission.".
7IMDB entry: tt12610390 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Classified under 8 themes, including "espionage", "spy", "old flame", "miscegenation".

The technical file

Cinematography: Alan Stewart
Original score: Rupert Gregson-Williams
Editing: Pia Di Ciaula
VFX supervisor: Adam Rowland
Runtime: 109 min · 1h 49m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: The Union (2024)

Also by

Julian Farino

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Community reviews

What people are saying

MovieGuys2024-08-16
★ 4/10
Cringe worthy isn't a phrase I use that often. That said, I feel it fits The Union, nicely. "Team USA" rules the world in this pungent mix of pro US political monolithic ideology and folksy, jokery, "aw shucks", hometown America. Yes the CIA are once again, the "good guys" (try not to laugh), inexplicably needing help from your average US working class citizen Joe, in order to save the world. The "world", in this case, being the bubble of exceptionalism, the US establishment inhabits. As a reviewer and viewer, I honestly could not stomach this. I watched about half before undeniable feelings of moral nausea overcame me and I switched it off. Is there an upside? Perhaps if you are from the US and believe all of this "somehow", then I suppose its an okay action spy thriller watch. Certainly, Mark Wahlberg is as likeable as ever and the actions not badly done, either. In summary, this might fly with certain US demographics but I don't see it playing too well, with audiences in other parts of the world, who have seen what the US establishment really stands for. I'll pass.
Chandler Danier2024-08-18
★ 4/10
Good god. Can we stop making these. Bricklayer is the ultimate union guy. He's even better than the Beekeeper. I'd say the union doesn't need a Painter but even he'd be a step up from Wahlberg. Working joes unite under the banner of a bunch of rich people who pretend to be poor. Action, action, betrayal, action, success. It's fine. Truly but it doesn't matter and has no redeeming hilarity.
Manuel São Bento2024-08-26
★ 3/10
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://movieswetextedabout.com/the-union-review-a-netflix-flick-that-proves-forgettable-is-worse-than-bad/ "The Union exemplifies the worst characteristics associated with the term "Netflix flick," presenting a predictable, forgettable movie that fails in almost all the essential aspects of a remarkable film. Its formulaic narrative, lack of originality, abundance of clichés, and paper-thin characters make it unable to stand out in a market saturated with similar productions. While parts of the score and individual performances offer glimpses of quality, they aren't enough to save the film from mediocrity. In the end, it's an experience that will hardly leave a lasting mark on viewers." Rating: D