Movie Review ~ Back in Action

In a curious twist of streaming fate, this week delivers two tales of married spies dragged from a peaceful retirement back into the field. While the Scott Eastwood/Willa Fitzgerald pairing in Alarum ventures down a darker path when Sylvester Stallone shows up, Netflix’s Back in Action opts for a sunnier route, marking Cameron Diaz’s triumphant return to the screen after nearly a decade away. Her comeback, sparked by the encouragement of longtime friend and co-star Jamie Foxx, transforms what could have been just another action comedy (which, deep down, it still is) into something more meaningful – a celebration of star-powered screen chemistry that Hollywood has sorely missed.

Written by Brendan O’Brien and Seth Gordon (who also directs), Back in Action taps into the time-honored spy-comedy partnerships with infectious charm. From Cary Grant and Eva Marie Saint in North by Northwest, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis in True Lies, the genre has thrived on dynamic chemistry between its leads. This Netflix offering rekindles the spark between Diaz and Foxx for their third collaboration following 2014’s Annie and 1999’s Any Given Sunday, suggesting that some Tinsel Town duos improve with each reunion.

Fifteen years after trading covert operations for carpools, former CIA operatives Emily (Diaz, Sex Tape) and Matt (Foxx, The Burial) have perfected their suburban disguise. A carefully constructed guise of normalcy shatters when their violent past catches up with them, forcing the couple to dust off their spy skills while trying to protect their children from the dangerous world they thought they’d left behind. With their kids Alice (McKenna Roberts, Skyscraper) and Leo (Rylan Jackson) reluctantly along for the ride, the family embarks on a globe-trotting adventure that blends some eye-rolling domestic chaos with low-impact international intrigue.

Drawing from his experience with crowd-pleasers like Horrible Bosses and Identity Thief, Gordon weaves action and comedy with expert ease. The film’s set pieces occasionally venture into absurdity (most of it delightfully harmless) – yet Gordon never loses sight of the story’s mission of keeping the stakes high enough to justify the explosions while grounding the narrative in genuine family dynamics no nuclear warhead can solve. The child actors are also good enough to hold their own against the formidable presence of Diaz and Foxx, making their squabbles feel lived-in and free from cloying annoyance. Their authentic personality is appreciated over the typical kid-in-danger stereotypes lesser films would have employed.

Diaz’s return to the screen starts tentatively, with some awkward de-aging attempts in the opening scenes raising eyebrows (actually, just giving her a shiny red lip and alabaster foundation that makes her look ghost-like instead of younger). But as the story finds its rhythm, so does she, reminding us why she dominated Hollywood for two decades. Her natural effervescence and sharp comic timing shine through, while her chemistry with Foxx gives off the warmth of genuine friendship. Oscar-winner Foxx matches her beat for beat, fully present while shifting seamlessly between comedic banter and action-hero intensity. If Foxx’s scenes fall a tad flat at times, it’s only because all eyes are on Diaz, and we miss her anytime she’s not on screen.

Two certified A-listers with massive charisma would be enough, but Gordon has added a backup generator to his film just in case – and it’s Glenn Close (Hillbilly Elegy). While her last outing with Netflix was anything but impressive, playing Emily’s estranged mother gives Close a prime opportunity to steal scenes. As Ginny, a retired MI6 agent who approaches grandmotherly duties with the same intensity she once applied to international espionage, Close commits fully to the dry comedy and the physical demands, reportedly performing her own stunts and delivering her withering one-liners with obvious relish.

Playing other agents the couple encounters in their race to locate a stolen hard drive (that, naturally, has a powerful technology weapon loaded onto it) are Kyle Chandler (The Spectacular Now) and Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers). You’ll wish Gordon had found as many fun diversions for them as he did for Close. Alas, both have roles that relegate them to the sidelines, with Gordon only bringing them out when the plot can’t get from point A to point B without a small nudge.

At a surprisingly brisk 112 minutes, Back in Action embraces its identity as pure entertainment. Gordon’s direction keeps the pace swift and the tone light, learning from his previous outings in both comedy and action. Even though the movie may not reach the heights of his best work, it demonstrates solid growth from earlier attempts to blend genres, like the big screen Baywatch in 2017 which, considering its cast, should have been the slam-dunk it wasn’t. While Back in Action might not break much new ground, it fills its familiar mold with enough charm, adrenaline, and humor to justify its existence.

After a string of high-profile films that seemed like they could have flashy big-screen debuts, this feels perfectly sized for Netflix – substantial enough to showcase its stars’ talents but not so weighty as to overshadow the fun.  It’s also an ideal return vehicle for Diaz, playing to her strengths while reminding audiences of the effortless charm that made her a star. Watching her light up the screen again feels like reconnecting with an old friend who hasn’t changed a bit – though for those of us who watch The Holiday every year with loved ones, she’s never truly been absent.

Back in Action proves that sometimes the best way forward is understanding exactly what you do well, delivering a straightforward joyride packed with chaos, heart, and fun. Here’s hoping it isn’t just a temporary return but the beginning of a new chapter in her career, one where she continues to choose projects that let her natural charm shine through.