3 Movies Like The Union (2024)

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Chasing the feel of watching The Union ? Here are the movies we recommend you watch right after.

The plot of the Union feels insultingly childish. An undercover agency has to retrieve an important device before it falls into the “wrong” (i.e. non-Western) hands, and to achieve that, they absolutely must have Mike (Wahlberg) on their team. That nothing here seems plausible shouldn’t be the point--it’s an action movie anyway. But even the action isn’t thrilling. There’s no tension or buildup, no satisfying hits and falls. There’s nothing in here that you haven’t seen before. The potential saving grace lies in its A-lister leads, Wahlberg and Berry. They’re supposed to be lovers here but the chemistry they create is closer to “colleagues who have an unexplored spark” more than anything. The Union works as a mid-tier nostalgia-filled film. It’s a perfectly okay movie, neither bad nor good, which seems par for the course for streaming anyway.

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Shot from the movie

, 2024

It’s a big deal by its very existence, being Netflix’s first pure crowd work special, further elevating the recent popularity of the niche. Rife starts off riffing about audience members’ outfits and “where you from?” banter, his conversational skills transporting you to a high school reunion-esque party where early birds aren't drunk enough yet, and it does cast some doubt on whether he was the person for the job. But seeing him loosen up along with the crowd is cool to observe, and when he does eventually find himself in the driver's seat, amid a great theme of dreams to guide the special, Rife proves he was the man for the job.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Matt Rife

Director: Erik Griffin

Rating: R

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Shot from the movie

, 2024

This movie is hilarious. It presents a pleasant caricature of high school humor, proving there is a way to do 2000s trashy crude writing in a reimagined modern setting. Setups for punchlines and mini-arcs consistently have good and sensible payoffs, and every character up and down the cast feels focused in their own way. Because the writing had been cared for, characters and dialogue make the most of every segment they occupy and feel like they have a purpose, striking a balance between great jokes and a genuine sincerity in their messages, without feeling like either half existed just to balance out the other or just to keep things “cool.” The film comfortably takes its own advice: be yourself.

Genre: Comedy

Actor: Ali Gallo, Anissa Borrego, Bardia Seiri, Bobby Cannavale, Dinora Walcott, Gattlin Griffith, Imogen Tear, Isabella Ferreira, Kaitlin Olson, Kayvan Shai, Kim Hawthorne, Loren Gray, Mason Thames, Nolan Bateman, Ramon Reed, Raphael Alejandro, Sammi-Jack Martincak, Scott MacArthur, Steele Stebbins, Stefanie Rons, Talia Bernstein, Thomas Barbusca, Victoria Moroles

Director: Dave Chernin, John Chernin

Rating: R

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Shot from the movie

, 2024

In The Killer, Director John Woo resurrects his famous 1989 film of the same name but swaps neon-lit Hong Kong for sumptuous Paris, and steel-faced Ah-jong (Chow Yun-fat) for banter-prone Zee (Nathalie Emmanuel). The result is less than stellar, but enjoyable nonetheless. The script feels contrived in some instances (“Never send a man to do a woman’s job!”) but electric in others. The latter is noticeable during Zee’s flirtatious scenes with Detective Say (Omar Sy), the most charismatic character in the film. Together, both exude a Mr. and Mrs. Smith sort of charm, where they’re both palpably in love with each other despite being clear enemies. “Will they or won’t they end up/kill each other?” is a strong (and sexy!) driver of plot; too bad it’s not the main focus of the film, weighed down as it is by its uneven flourishes.

Genre: Action, Crime, Thriller

Actor: Angeles Woo, Aurélia Agel, Daren Nop, Diana Silvers, Éric Cantona, Fabrice Scott, Grégory Montel, Hugo Diego Garcia, Justin Howell, Michaël Erpelding, Monia Moula, Nathalie Emmanuel, Omar Sy, Saïd Taghmaoui, Sam Worthington, Staiv Gentis, Tchéky Karyo, Trevor Morgan, Vincent Winterhalter

Director: John Woo

Rating: R

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