Back in Action review: Cameron Diaz’s return is noughties-fueled nostalgia

For no known reason, Netflix is suddenly reviving the mid-range movie incredibly well. Not only has it got Cameron Diaz out of retirement, but Back in Action has put fun back into streaming.

Every day since Cameron Diaz decided to step away from Hollywood has been a dark one. Classic IPs have been rehashed, more actors are turning to a career in superhero spandex, and everything feels like too serious or too terrible. The days of There’s Something About Mary and Bad Teacher feel so far behind us.

But by some absolute miracle, she’s back. She’s joining co-star Jamie Foxx for their third film together since 1999, proving it’s really who you know that makes magic happen. She’s straight back into her sweet spot as straight-talking Emily, and she’s got the stunts of an all-time Charlie’s Angel (all done by her, of course).

But Back in Action isn’t merely resting on Cameron’s coattails. The action movie is genuine fun, and even better, can make things “modern” without being cringe. Bringing humor up to date while retaining the slick stereotypes of a noughties action hero? Check. Glenn Close doing her most Vaudevillian British performance since 101 Dalmatians? Check. Jamie Foxx essentially bringing his viral Graham Norton story to life? Also check. What more can you ask for?

What is Back in Action about?

15 years ago, Matt (Foxx) and Emily (Diaz) were CIA spies on the top of their game. After a mission against Belarusian hostages goes wrong, the pair are sent into hiding – at exactly the same time Emily finds out she’s pregnant.

Fast forward and the pair have a humdrum life looking after their two children. They’re happy, but when they end up on YouTube for beating up punters while collecting their underage daughter from a club, they are compromised.

Old enemies come back to haunt them, driving Emily and Matt back to London to retrieve the key they took from the mission all those years before.

Once a Charlie’s Angel, always a Charlie’s Angel

Netflix

Charlie’s probably long dead now bless him, but an Angel’s spirit never dies. Not only does Back in Action slyly pay homage to one of the best scenes in Charlie’s Angels history – I’m of course talking about the motorcycle race hosted by Pink! – Cameron is absolutely kicking as* back where she belongs. She’s a dynamic leading lady for so many reasons, not least because of her effortless charm, total lack of vanity, and a damn good sense of humor.

It makes complete sense then that Jamie Foxx is her perfect match. We’ve yet to see them play romantic co-leads like this, but their chemistry is undeniable. If you’re going to have this much fun at work, it’s easy to see why Diaz said yes to the job. Throw Glenn Close as your eccentric-yet-distant mother into the mix and this is frankly an actor’s holiday.

If there’s any weak casting point in the new movie, it’s Andrew Scott. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely adore him… but he’s being really underused here. The film remains ambivalent on whether he’s a goodie or baddie, and given we’re used to seeing Scott in roles like Sherlock’s Moriarty, his official blends into the background.

Mind-numbing family fun… with guns

Netflix

Of course, nobody is expecting this to be revolutionizing the streaming service, and nor should they. Last month’s release Carry-On proved we have a damn good time with harmless, middle-of-the-road action, and Back in Action only continues the boost. The “dumb fun” genre is something we sorely need – the news is newsing too hard, and sometimes you don’t want to sit through a 3.5-hour arthouse film or argue with Marvel nerds on the internet.

Really, Seth Gordon is the man for the job. Coming off the back of the Baywatch reboot, Identity Thief and Horrible Bosses, the man knows how to infuse gags with dynamic drama (even if not all of them have aged well). This time, the emphasis is on family, and being a working parent with a dangerous job has never felt more 2024.

When it comes to mom and dad humor, there’s always a worry things will feel cringe. Jokes will be too forced, and parents will look like the Steve Buscemi meme. Back in Action avoids all of the above, and that’s largely down to how cool Foxx and Diaz are in real life. You’ve got to suspend some serious belief when their fake kids are calling them “Karens.”

Back in Action review score: 3/5 – Good

It’s dumb! It’s fun! It’s the combination we all want to be! Back in Action proves we don’t deserve Cameron Diaz, but need her anyway. It’s a weird moment to throw her back into the limelight after Demi Moore‘s “popcorn actress” reveal, but she’s purely doing what she does best. More, please.

Back in Action is available to stream on Netflix now. Check out more platform updates for Stranger Things Season 5 and Squid Game Season 3, or take a look at the most anticipated movies of the year. For more information on how we score TV shows and movies, check out our scoring guidelines here.