‘Back In Action’ Review — Diaz And Foxx Have Terrific Chemistry Together

Yes, Back in Action, the latest star-driven streaming vehicle for Netflix, offers nothing you haven’t seen before. You can predict what will happen in the third act—and for that matter, you already know what happens at the end of the first and second. These are standard tropes used to move the story along. Most recently, Mark Wahlberg’s Apple TV+ vehicle, The Family Plan, which came out last year, comes to mind.

However, Back in Action is far better than that film, thanks to the incredible chemistry between its leads, Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx, two actors with a history of delivering great comedic performances. While the mother-and-daughter genre trope serves as a heavy subplot, the kids shine in their roles, offering a fresh and hilarious take. All four actors demonstrate excellent comic chemistry, and the film consistently delivers, elevating a relatively conventional story.

Back in Action follows Emily (Cameron Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx), two former CIA spies who have been out of the game for over fifteen years. They now live a quiet life in a lovely home, raising their two children, Alice (Skyscraper’s McKenna Roberts) and Leo (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves’s Rylan Jackson). The children have no idea about their parents’ previous occupation, though Alice is starting to catch on—especially after overhearing Matt speaking Russian to the plumber.

The story leans into some familiar genre tropes. For instance, Alice is feuding with her mom, leading her parents to start spying on her. When they track their teenage daughter to a club using a fake ID, a photo of them briefly ends up online. This mishap allows their old boss, Chuck (Kyle Chandler), to track them down and warn them that their lives are in danger. Why? During their last mission, they lost something called “the key,” an item every villain in the world is still after—and they all believe “Matily” still has it.

Back in Action is under the direction of Seth Gordon, who co-wrote the script with Brendan O’Brien. The latter has an outstanding pedigree in comedy, writing the Neighbors franchise of movies and a story credit for the incredible Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. Gordon is hit-and-miss. Loving him with Horrible Bosses and Identity Thief, but you may tend to hate him with Baywatch and Four Christmases.

This effort makes the comedy amusing and sometimes very funny, but the action is standard and repetitive. For example, there are four big fight action scenes with Foxx and Diaz. However, each is connected to a song to add humor with a classic song that offers comedic juxtaposition. This is a staple in movies like this but done well the first time. Yet, when the film arrives at “Papa’s Gotta Brand New Bag,” I wondered if Gordon lost a bet.

Three new additions to the cast will undoubtedly charm the audience. Glenn Close delivers a delightfully over-the-top performance as Diaz’s mother, a legendary assassin. She has a younger boyfriend (Fleabag’s Jamie Demetriou), whom she is “training” to join MI-6, adding plenty of obsessive-compulsive humor to the mix. Andrew Scott also makes an appearance as another MI-6 member. His character, who used to date Emily, sparks a running gag of jealousy with Foxx’s Matt that lands well throughout the film.

Young Leo’s hypochondriac tendencies and his obsession with things like his cholesterol absolutely tickled my funny bone. Overall, Back in Action wasn’t made for critics like me. The movie is for viewers seeking something light, mindless, and fun to pass the time (or perhaps to enjoy during a Netflix-and-chill evening). While the story treads familiar ground, the film succeeds as a breezy and enjoyable watch. Its humor, the strong supporting cast, and the impeccable chemistry between the leads are enough to earn a very mild recommendation.

You can stream Back in Action on Netflix on January 17th only!