Warning: Major spoilers for The Union below!
Summary
The Unionsees a spy recruiting her old boyfriend for a dangerous mission, but they do end up together by the time the credits roll? The titular Union is a spy organization made up of “blue collar” people, and after a failed mission to retrieve classified information in the movie’s opening, they need to recruit a “nobody” for an operation to retrieve it. This leads Agent Roxanne Hall (Halle Berry) to reconnect with ex-boyfriend Mike (Mark Wahlberg), a construction worker whose life has grown stagnant. After Mike reluctantly signs on, he’s given two weeks of training to become a spy.
Mike proves better than anybody expected, butRoxanne soon learns her estranged and presumed deceased husband Nick (Mike Colter) was the one who stole the intel. Nick also sets up Union boss Brennan (J.K. Simmons) to take the fall, leading to the group being shut down. ThisMark Wahlberg action movie’sfinale takes Roxanne and Mike to Croatia to stop the intel being sold, and a showdown with Nick. After the latter is killed and the stolen hard drive is retrieved,the final scene sees Mike and Roxanne attend the wedding of Mike’s best friend back in New Jersey.
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
Pfeiffer
The Union’scastis fronted by Wahlberg and Berry, with the movie leaning hard on the chemistry between them. For all the spy hijinks and shootouts, the film is partly about two people finding each other again when they are older and wiser.The Unionends with Mike and Roxanne attending the wedding and deciding to give their relationship another try, with the janitor’s closet being their first intended destination.
Before they can get there, Brennan arrives to let Mike know he’s officially part of the Union, so it looks like Roxanne and Mike will be personalandprofessional partners. The two getting together shouldn’t be much of a shocker since the entire movie has been building towards it. Despite all the romantic tension,The Unionnever actually shows Mike and Roxanne kissing.
Why Nick Betrayed The Union
Roxanne’s estranged husband is The Union’s main antagonist
The Union’sopening sees Agent Nick sent to retrieve the intel from a rogue CIA agent, but his team is quickly wiped out and he is shot and presumed killed. On the surface,it feels like the movie cast a recognizable face like Colter just to shock viewers when he’s quickly killed, but of course, he has much more to do. Nick later resurfaces and tells Roxanne that Brennan is the traitor. However, she soon learns thatNick has betrayed the Union and is working with Juliet Quinn (AKA The Auctioneer) to sell the intel to the highest bidder.
Nick tells Roxanne that after risking his life and completing so many Union missions without any reward or credit, he decided to make a change and cash out.
Nick tells Roxanne that after risking his life and completing so many missions without any reward, he decided to make a change and cash out. Sadly, this involved killing some of his former colleagues and even trying to murder his wife too. Nick grew weary of the Union’s founding principles, but instead of just leaving and becoming a mercenary, he wanted to use his skill set to get rich quick.
Mike’s Unlikely Recruitment Makes Complete Sense
Roxanne’s logic for headhunting Mike tracks surprisingly well
The Union’spremise has an edge of wish fulfillment to it since it involves a man leading a normal life being whisked away to one filled with danger and excitement. On paper, however,it’s easy to question why a top spy organization would recruit somebody withzeroexperience as a spy.The screenplay works the answer into the story since the stolen intel involves the identities of anybody - be they a police officer, FBI, MI6, etc - who has ever served a Western-allied country.
The Union needs a complete unknown for the mission to pose as a buyerbut also somebody they can trust to do the right thing. That’s why Roxanne chooses Mike, believing he has potential even he is not aware of. It helps that Mike was an all-star athlete and his construction job fits the blue collar profile of a Union agent. While his recruitment is logical, the fact he becomes such a crack agent after only two weeks of training is an element that doesn’t quite ring true.
Why The Union Only Recruits “Blue Collar” People
This spy group has unusual requirements for entry
To Brennan’s logic, blue collar folk are considered invisible in regular society, despite being the ones who “build cities” and keep them running.
Mark Wahlberg has labeled hisUnioncharacter a “blue collar” Bond, and the movie bears that comparison out. Mike doesn’t wear fancy suits or drive flashy cars, but he gets into plenty of shootouts and fistfights regardless. Every member of the team is quite down to Earth too, andBrennan explains the Union only recruits people from a blue collar background because they’re the ones who “get s*** done.”
To Brennan’s logic, blue collar folk are considered invisible in regular society, despite being the ones who “build cities” and keep them running. He’s looking for street smarts and people who have worked hard, not those who’ve gone to the best universities or come from privileged backgrounds. It’s a unique premise for an espionage adventure, though it feels likeThe Unioncould have explored this aspect even more.
Why The Auctioneer Spares Roxanne
Nick’s new girlfriend doesn’t have his back
Jessica De Gouw’s Auctioneer adds a bit of comic relief toThe Union. While she might be an amoral villain trying to sell highly damaging classified information, she’s at least having fun. Quinn is also revealed to be Nick’s new romantic partner, butwhen Roxanne confronts them inThe Union’sfinale, instead of having her bodyguards shoot Roxanne, The Auctioneer decides to leaveand let Nick untangle his own mess.
The Auctioneer leaves partly because she wants nothing more to do with Nick, as what should have been a clean exchange has gotten messy.The movie is also leaving the door open for De Gouw’s character to return forThe Union 2, so if a sequel does arrive, a return from De Gouw is a must.
The Real Meaning Behind The Union’s Ending
The Union underlines that it’s never too late to realize your potential
The Unionmay revolve around spies, but it’s a frothy rom-com at its core. It works best when focused on the evolving relationship between Roxanne and Mike, butthe underlying message of the film is that it’s never too late for somebody to turn their life around. Mike is happy with his life as it is; he might be broke, but he has a great set of friends and is comfortable in his hometown. Still, there is a sense of arrested development about him and even as if life has passed him by.
… by the end, Mike and Roxanne are back together and he’s a badass secret agent.
Roxanne’s return not only gives him a second chance with the former love of his life, but she also challenges him to meet his potential. She and others can see it, but even when Mike proves a natural for the job, he is still filled with doubt.The Unionhas Wahlberg’s protagonist taking a chance and seeing if he’s destined for bigger things; by the end, Mike and Roxanne are back together and he’s a badass secret agent. In short, the movie suggests that pursuing a dream is always a good thing.
How The Union’s Ending Sets Up A Sequel
Will Netflix’s latest rom-com become a franchise?
The Union’sending not only has Brennan welcome Mike to the organization, but he also tells him and Roxanne they can only have a few days off before they’re back to work.Brennan is sending them on a mission to Marrakesh, though he withholds any exact detailsabout the job. This may not be directly setting upThe Union 2, but it certainly plants a franchise seed in the minds of audiences before the movie ends.
The Union
Cast
The Union is an upcoming film that explores the intersecting lives of multiple characters as they navigate complex relationships, personal struggles, and social issues.
