Upamanyu Biswas
The Julian Farino-directed spy film, ‘The Union,‘ follows a construction worker named Mike McKenna whose life is uprooted when he is thrust into a world of high-octane action and espionage. After Mike’s former high school girlfriend, Roxanne Hall re-enters his life out of nowhere, he shockingly discovers that she is part of a top-secret covert agency known as the Union. Subsequently, she whisks him away to join the ranks of the organization without his consent or compliance.
Mike has to prepare for a highly sensitive mission that could determine the fates of thousands of people if he does not succeed in his task. Naturally, his inexperience in matters of espionage gives rise to several hilarious outcomes as he tries to prove his capabilities before it costs him his life. The following movies like ‘The Union’ cross the divide between civilian and spy life with a good dash of humor, making them a must-watch for viewers who want more of the same.
10. Bad Company (2002)
In ‘Bad Company,’ a street hustler named Jake Hayes (Chris Rock) is plucked from his average existence to serve the CIA in a top-secret operation after his twin brother, Agent Kevin Pope (Chris Rock), is killed in action. Jake’s unrefined and unpolished mannerisms lead him to butt heads with Agent Gaylord Oakes (Anthony Hopkins), who does not believe Jake is up to the task. Just as in ‘The Union,’ several moments of offbeat comedy arise from Jake’s integration into a life of secrecy and espionage, something he isn’t prepared for. Director Joel Schumacher places the emphasis on Jake and Oakes’ unlikely partnership to provide the spark in an otherwise straightforward spy flick with short bursts of intrigue.
9. The Tuxedo (2002)
Directed by Kevin Donovan, ‘The Tuxedo’ stars Jackie Chan as Jimmy Tong, a cab driver who chauffeurs for millionaire Clark Devlin. One day, Jimmy happens upon Devlin’s prized tuxedo, which he guards with all his might. The cabbie discovers that the innocuous-looking dress wear is a state-of-the-art suit that bestows the wearer with extraordinary abilities. Armed with the tuxedo, Jimmy is thrown into a world of secret agents and conspiracies as he teams up with a woman named Delilah Blaine to take down some bad guys. In a similar fashion to Mike’s spydom journey in ‘The Union,’ Jimmy battles a more significant threat while working as an unwitting spy for the government. His special suit even allows him to showcase miraculous martial arts skills to impress the audience. However, he may not be as lucky if he takes it off.
8. I Spy (2002)
After a prototype stealth fighter known as the Switchblade is stolen from the U.S. government, Special Agent Alex Scott is made to work with a civilian boxer, Kelly Robinson, to recover the plane. Adapted from the 1965 eponymous TV show by Morton S. Fine and David Friedkin, director Betty Thomas dives into an elevated spy action thriller with a blend of intrigue and out-and-out absurdity.
Kelly Robinson has to curtail his arrogant and cocky self as he tries to navigate the precarious waters of espionage, despite the fact that his fame is renown. The parallels to ‘The Union’ are obvious through Robinson’s descent into a game of cat-and-mouse secrecy, although he is particularly ill-suited to the task at hand. Luckily, both films have the inexperienced protagonist working with a top agent who tries to minimize their errors but not the laughs.
7. My Spy (2020)
Helmed by Peter Segal, ‘My Spy’ follows an ex-veteran, JJ, who is grounded by the CIA for his lack of finesse as an undercover agent. He subsequently gets tasked with a monitoring job that he considers beneath him. Unfortunately, the plan goes haywire when the nine-year-old daughter of his surveillance subject, Sophie, blows his cover and blackmails him for her purpose. The film has a similar light-hearted tone as depicted in ‘The Union,’ mixing civilian and spy life within its narrative confines. JJ and Sophie’s interactions are tinged with a sense of mismatching characteristics, not dissimilar to Mike and Roxanne in the Julian Farino directorial, but that’s where the fun of this action comedy lies.
6. Get Smart (2008)
Based on the 1965 titular TV show by Mel Brooks and Buck Henry, ‘Get Smart’ tells the story of an analyst, Maxwell Smart (Steve Carell), who wishes to be a top-secret spy one day. When crisis strikes his agency, his dreams finally come to fruition as he teams up with a veteran agent, codenamed Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway), to halt the enemy’s nefarious plans.
The Peter Segal-directed film aligns with ‘The Union’ by blending the inexperience and ineptitude of a primarily civilian protagonist with the formidable knowledge and experience of a wizened on-field agent. It also captures the same relatability of being pushed into a world-saving scenario, allowing the audience to connect to Maxwell’s predicament as he tries to succeed with all his might despite having no priors to help him out of tight corners.
5. The Spy Who Dumped Me (2018)
In ‘The Spy Who Dumped Me,’ director Susanna Fogel explores the relatively uneventful lives of two best friends, Audrey and Morgan before they find themselves embroiled in a massive conspiracy plot. When Audrey’s ex-boyfriend, Drew, arrives at their doorstep, chased by some deadly assassins, the duo’s lives are completely upended. They have to follow his orders and carry out their espionage duties to ensure their survival and botch the plans of a British agent looking to hatch a devastating plan.
Just as Mike is whisked away by Roxanne, his former girlfriend, into life as a Union agent, Audrey is brought into the fold of an espionage plot through a failed relationship in her past. Naturally, both films dive into the dynamics of the romance between the protagonists and their former lovers, who get them entangled in a highly sensitive operation. Comedic interactions take precedence over the world-ending ploy, imbuing a sense of skewed priorities, which only adds to the film’s comedy.
4. Knight and Day (2010)
June Havens (Cameron Diaz), a standard civilian, has her life turned completely upside down when she comes across a charming and uber-cool flight passenger named Roy Miller (Tom Cruise), who turns out to be a secret agent who has been framed to take the fall for others. Directed by James Mangold, ‘Knight and Day,’ revolves around the intense action-filled adventures of Roy and June as they try to evade capture by all those pursuing them.
While’ The Union’ may not feature agents on the run, both films share various parallels, not least of which is the whimsical story of being involved in an enormous deep-state plot. The madness and hilarity are only ramped up as the narrative progresses further as June, like Mike, tries to come to grips with the ridiculousness of her situation. The catalog of high-octane chase sequences and non-stop action should also satisfy viewers amidst the chaos on display.
3. Central Intelligence (2016)
‘Central Intelligence’ follows an accountant named Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart), who is recruited into the CIA by a former high school friend, Bob Stone (Dwayne Johnson), who was bullied years ago. The two team up to rescue the U.S. spy satellite network from falling into the wrong hands. Unfortunately, it is not as easy as it sounds, as they are confronted by a series of thugs and terrorists who wish to spread chaos.
Rawson Marshall Thurber helms the project that dives into a witty and sharp reunion between a talkative accountant and his former friend. Similar to Mike’s recruitment by a former high school companion, Calvin is brought into the life of a spy by his friend Bob. Naturally, viewers will latch on to Calvin and Bob’s sardonic conversations, their chemistry sparking the screen to life amidst the gunfire and secrecy of a silly but fun adventure, reminding us that Mike and Roxanne are not the only ones who can have a special dynamic.
2. True Lies (1994)
Director James Cameron dives into a world of concealed espionage through the eyes of Harry Tasker (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a salesman/spy secretly tracking down nuclear missiles in the Middle East owned by a terrorist named Aziz (Art Malik). Harry’s family is unaware of his spy life, causing some friction between him and his neglected wife, Helen (Jamie Lee Curtis). However, when both of them get kidnapped by Aziz, he has to showcase his training and skills to get them out of a precarious situation. The film is a remake of a 1991 French spy comedy film titled ‘La Totale!,’ directed and co-written by Claude Zidi.
While ‘True Lies’ may not follow the typical premise of ‘The Union,’ both films align themselves through the blurring of lines between standard civilian life and the life of a danger-seeking spy who is caught in a web of deceit. There are shades of Mike and Roxanne’s bond in Harry and Helen’s complicated relationship, which regains its spark through an action-adventure narrative that is equally thrilling as humorous to watch. The film hits all the marks of a well-crafted spy action-comedy film, deserving of a watch if you want a great mix of laughter and edge-of-your-seat action.
1. The In-Laws (1979)
‘The In-Laws’ revolves around a dentist, Sheldon Kornpett (Alan Arkin), whose daughter is about to get married. However, he gets cold feet after meeting the future father-in-law, Vincent Ricardo (Peter Falk), who seems strangely dubious. Sheldon’s suspicions come true when he learns that Vincent is, in fact, a renegade CIA agent investigating a counterfeiting plot that requires the aid of Sheldon himself.
Directed by Arthur Hiller, ‘The In-Laws’ builds a hilarious chemistry out of two unlikely partners, one of whom finds himself in an espionage situation way over his pay grade. Sheldon’s predicament mirrors Mike’s extraordinary situation in ‘The Union.’ Both protagonists have no experience or know-how to deal with highly sensitive missions, a dynamic ideally suited to the spy comedy genre. It is also amusing to witness Sheldon and Vincent’s attempts to piece together their children’s marriage amid an international conspiracy. However, in many ways, that is the allure of the scenario engulfing them.
Read More: Where Was Netflix’s The Union Filmed?
