BACK IN ACTION on Netflix is a new spy action movie starring Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz. It has crime, action, and quite a lot of comedy, which makes it a solid family movie. I enjoyed it till the very end. Read our full Back in Action movie review here!
BACK IN ACTION is a new Netflix movie featuring a spy story. Though reminiscent of Mr. & Mrs. Smith in some ways, this is more of a family movie with more comedy. Not nearly as steamy or bloody, and a few key characters are kids, so everyone should enjoy it.
I know I certainly did. Of course, I’ve always liked both Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz, so seeing them team up in this movie was perfect. Also, yes, it does end in a way that leaves plenty of room for a sequel. In fact, it very much teases a sequel and I am ready for it.
Continue reading our Back in Action movie review below. Find it on Netflix from January 17, 2025.
From international spies to suburban family
Back in Action begins 15 years ago on a fateful mission, then allows elite spies Matt (Jamie Foxx) and Emily (Cameron Diaz) to leave their very unique jobs behind. Leaving the spy business isn’t easy, so it’s understandable why they make this choice.
Fifteen years after vanishing from the CIA, we meet Matt and Elite living a typical suburban family life. There’s soccer practice and two kids who think their parents are old and boring boomers. Their efforts to be recognized as Generation X are not respected at all.
As a fellow Gen X’er (on the cusp of being a Millenial), I have to highlight the soundtrack of Back in Action. It definitely follows the hits of the parents’ generation and I love it.
Anyway, as with any other spy/family movie, leaving the spy world behind them doesn’t last. When their cover is blown, they need to go on the run with their kids, who still have no idea who their parents used to be. They do quickly realize that Mom and Dad can kick a$$.

Wonderful casting all around
With Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz leading the cast, Back in Action is off to a great start. Both are familiar with action movies as well as comedy. Often in hybrids of some sort, which is exactly what this movie offers.
However, that’s not to say they are the only stars of this cast. Emily’s mom was a spy herself and is an awesome senior spy portrayed by none other than Glenn Close (The Deliverance). These years, Glenn Close is doing all sorts of quirky and fun characters and I love it.
She is really cool and very British in Back in Action. Matt and Emily’s kids are portrayed by McKenna Roberts and Rylan Jackson. We also have Kyle Chandler (The Midnight Sky) as their CIA boss back in the day and Andrew Scott (Ripley) as their MI6 colleague.
Other key characters are portrayed by Fola Evans-Akingbola (The Night Agent), another MI6 agent, and Jamie Demetriou (Fleabag), who desperately wants to be MI6.
Jamie Demetriou is the comedic sidekick of this movie – think Vince Vaughn in Mr. & Mrs. Smith but kind. He may be too much for some viewers, but I liked him. Especially because he is so kind and helpful – even if he isn’t really MI6 material.
Watch Back in Action on Netflix now!
The director of Back in Action is Seth Gordon, who also directed a few episodes of The Night Agent season 1, Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector, and For All Mankind. Earlier, he directed the hilarious Identity Thief (2013) starring Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman.
The screenplay also comes from Seth Gordon who co-wrote it with Brendan O’Brien (Neighbors, Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates). Comedy plays a huge role in this action, crime, thriller, spy hybrid genre movie, which is what makes it perfect for all (well, most) ages.
We don’t usually review too many action-comedies, but this one is for the whole family and combines many genres, so we thought we’d include it. Especially because it turned out to be better than I expected. A runtime of nearly two hours is a lot, but it worked.
BACK IN ACTION is out on Netflix on January 17, 2025.
Details
Director: Seth Gordon
Writers: Seth Gordon & Brendan O’Brien
Cast: Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Kyle Chandler, Andrew Scott, Jamie Demetriou, McKenna Roberts, Rylan Jackson, Glenn Close
Plot
Years after giving up life as CIA spies to start a family, Emily and Matt find themselves dragged back into the world of espionage when their cover is blown.
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