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Back In Action. (L to R) McKenna Roberts as Alice, Cameron Diaz as Emily, Rylan Jackson as Leo and Jamie Foxx as Matt in Back In Action. Cr. John Wilson/Netflix © 2024. Cameron Diaz made her return to acting with the Netflix hit film Back in Action, reuniting with Jamie Foxx for what she described as a fantastic experience. But the two stars aren’t the only talents bringing this movie to life. In the film, Diaz and Foxx play a married couple navigating family life with their children, including a teenager. Adding even more depth to the cast, Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Glenn Close plays Diaz’s mother. Reflecting on the project, Diaz expressed her excitement about working alongside such an incredibly talented group of co-stars. (Click on the media bar below to hear Cameron Diaz.) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Cameron_Diaz_Back_In_action_.mp...

Good morning angels! Cameron Diaz is back on-screen kicking butt, but no, not in a new “Charlie’s Angels” film. This one is “Back in Action.”

Now streaming on Netflix, the film centers on Emily and Matt, two spies who learn during a mission that they’re having a baby. When that mission gets compromised, they have the opportunity to fake their deaths, and they promptly take it, so that they can raise their family outside a dangerous life.

“Back in Action” marks Cameron Diaz’s first on-screen role in more than 10 years, and also a reunion for her and Jamie Foxx, after they starred together in her last film, “Annie.”

But you’ll recognize more than just this duo. Here are the major players in “Back in Action.”

Netflix Emily (Cameron Diaz)

Emily is played by Cameron Diaz, taking on her first role in more than 10 years. Her last role was as Ms.

The Netflix action-comedy Back in Action, starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx, takes viewers on an exhilarating journey across various global locales. With its dynamic blend of espionage, humor, and breathtaking settings, the film keeps audiences captivated. Let’s delve into the filming locations and other exciting details about Back In Action.

‘Back in Action’: Where Was the Film Shot? – Filming Locations & Other Details Primary Filming Locations Atlanta, Georgia

The suburban life of Emily (Cameron Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx), former CIA agents, is disrupted when their past catches up with them. These scenes of domestic tranquility and subsequent chaos were filmed in Atlanta, Georgia. The film crew worked closely with local homeowners to create the thrilling chase sequences through residential neighborhoods.

Director Seth Gordon shared:

“It was a challenge to find a neighborhood that would allow us to drive over lawns and crash fences, but with careful planning,...

Fifteen years after going off the grid for the sake of their family, Cameron Diaz's Emily and Jamie Foxx's Matt make their return to the action-packed world of espionage in Back in Action. Netflix's latest addition to its long list of titles in the action-comedy genre, and Cameron Diaz's much awaited return to screens, made its debut on January 17, 2025. In the mere week since its release, the film has skyrocketed to the #1 spot on Netflix's Global Top 10 list with an impressive 46.8 million views.

Directed by Seth Gordon, Back in Action is the result of the director's take on what it would be like if Jason Bourne had kids. Bringing that vision to life, Matt and Emily Reynolds are retired secret agents when the film begins. Having chosen the quiet suburban life after a fiery plane crash, the duo, together with their children Alice (McKenna Roberts and Leo (Rylan Jackson), live a quiet,...

Netflix's first big release of 2025, the spy action-comedy Back in Action, has been doing extremely well since its January 17 launch date, hitting over 46.8 million views within its first three days of release, which makes it the streamer's biggest opening weekened for an English-language film since 2022's The Adam Project.

Upon its release, we were able to catch up with director Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses; Identity Thief; Baywatch) to talk about the family entertainer that stars Jamie Foxx (Spider-Man: No Way Home; Baby Driver; Collateral) and Cameron Diaz (Knight and Day; Charlie's Angels; Shrek) in the lead roles.

He walks us through uniting the iconic movie stars and their instant chemistry, shooting in London, and a whole lot more.

In addition to Foxx and Diaz, the supporting cast features McKenna Roberts (Euphoria; Skyscraper), Rylan Jackson (Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves), Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights; The Wolf of Wall Street), Glenn Close,...

“Back in Action” ends on a major cliffhanger, but will there actually be a sequel to the Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx-led action comedy? According to director Seth Gordon, the Netflix film’s ending was conceived less as a guarantee and more as a hopeful wish.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Gordon revealed that Netflix has yet to broach the topic of “Back in Action 2” with him. “They won’t even acknowledge the idea of a sequel yet!” the director admitted. “So if you put in a good word, maybe there’s a chance.”

Having bested Chuck (Kyle Chandler), their greedy former friend, “Back in Action” ends with married, retired spies Matt (Foxx) and Emily (Diaz) returning to their suburban life just in time to watch their daughter Alice (McKenna Roberts) win her playoff soccer game. Their blissful return to normalcy is interrupted, however, by the arrival of...

It appears as if paying a huge amount of money to Cameron Diaz to lure her out of retirement has worked, as the Netflix hit Back in Action just scored the largest weekend debut for an English language movie since 2022. Diaz stars in the action comedy alongside Jamie Foxx, and was reportedly paid $45 million dollars by the streaming service to appear in two movies, making her Back in Action paycheck $22.5 million.

Per The Wrap, director Seth Gordon's first feature film since 2017's Baywatch brought in a whopping 46.8 million views during its premiere weekend, making it the biggest debut for a movie since the 2022 Ryan Reynolds sci-fi action flick The Adam Project. Second place wasn't even close, as The Secret Life of Pets 2 scored 8.9 million views, with the original film coming in third at 5.2 million views.

While critics have largely dismissed Back in Action, Diaz and Foxx fans haven't...

Cameron Diaz is a big name in the film industry, even when her films don't receive good reviews. Her latest movie, Back in Action, her first one in 10 years, is a huge draw on Netflix.

The action comedy comes from Horrible Bosses director Seth Gordon and stars Jamie Foxx as the male lead. Diaz's last film was 2014's Annie but Foxx persuaded the actress to come back. This was a major win for Netflix, as the streamer revealed Back in Action topped the charts with 46.8 million views in just four days since its Jan. 17 release, considering the streamer counted the views between Jan. 13 and Jan. 20.

Related Cameron Diaz's Comeback Film Gets Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score That's Very Different From Critics

Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx's new Netflix movie is proving to be divisive between audiences and critics.

Foxx and Diaz are really the dream team as the movie is...

The new Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx-led Netflix action-comedy movie Back In Action has critics and viewers divided, evident in the film's Rotten Tomatoes score. While Back In Action, which hit Netflix on Friday, has a 23% critics score, the movie fared better with viewers, clocking a 63% rating.

Directed by Seth Gordon (Horrible Bosses), Back In Action follows former CIA agents Matt (Foxx) and Emily (Diaz) as they are pulled back into international intrigue when their identities are revealed. The pair were enjoying family life — they have a teenage daughter, Alice (McKenna Roberts), and compounding the crisis is the soon-to-be husband and wife duo who are expecting another child.

The overdone premise of characters returning to a life they no longer want (insert Godfather III quote here) is likely a big reason for the unfavorable 23% “Tomatometer” score. "Mostly, the familiarity takes its toll," The New York Times' Ben Kenigsberg wrote.

Back in Action marks Cameron Diaz's long-awaited return to acting and a reunion with co-star Jamie Foxx. Though Cameron and Foxx play a couple in the Netflix action comedy, director Seth Gordon insists their chemistry off-screen was "inspiring" enough to make their on-screen work believable.

Speaking with People, Gordon hailed Foxx and Diaz's close friendship and how their understanding of each other made them an ideal pairing for the recently released Back in Action. According to Gordon, the duo were equally supportive throughout filming, including following Foxx's medical emergency during production. "They took turns in a really deep way supporting each other," Gordon said. "Anyone who was on set will tell you [Jamie] was the biggest cheerleader and hype man for [Diaz], and really for everybody involved, but especially for her. So she got to return the favor in that way spiritually."

Related Adam McKay Defends Controversial Netflix Movie From...

“Back in Action” is a 2025 Netflix original action-comedy that marks the return of Cameron Diaz to the silver screen after a decade-long hiatus. Directed by Seth Gordon, “Back in Action” features a star-studded ensemble cast portraying a mix of seasoned spies and intriguing new characters.

Back in Action: Complete Cast & Characters Guide of the Netflix Original Movie Emily Tanner (Cameron Diaz)

Cameron Diaz, renowned for her roles in “The Mask,” “Charlie’s Angels,” and “Vanilla Sky,” plays Emily Tanner, a former CIA operative who, along with her husband Matt, leaves the espionage world to start a family. Emily’s journey explores themes of parental attachment and reconciliation, particularly in mending her strained relationship with her mother, Ginny.

Matt Tanner (Jamie Foxx)

Academy Award-winner Jamie Foxx, known for “Ray,” “Django Unchained,” and “Collateral,” portrays Matt Tanner, Emily’s husband and fellow ex-cia agent. Matt’s character brings a blend of humor and action,...

Warning: Spoilers for Back in Action.

Co-written and directed by Seth Gordon, Back in Action is a quippy action comedy that follows two former CIA agents, Emily (Cameron Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx), who find themselves back in the spy game 15 years after they were believed to be dead. Over a decade prior, their boss, Chuck (Kyle Chandler), tasked them with obtaining the Industrial Control Systems (Ics) Key, a special device that has the digital ability to control any electronic system.

After retrieving it from the home of a Polish Kgb agent-turned terrorist named Balthazzar Gor (Robert Besta), Emily and Matt escape via plane but soon discover that the flight crew is on Gor’s payroll. The plane ultimately crashes, and although they narrowly survive, they’re presumed dead, and the Ics Key is believed to be lost forever. Given the situation, Emily and Matt take the opportunity to leave...

After a decade away from show business, Cameron Diaz returned to acting by joining Jamie Foxx in the new Netflix movie Back in Action. The critics were not impressed with the film, but audiences do not agree, seeing very different scores on Rotten Tomatoes.

Currently, Back in Action is holding a rotten approval rating from critics of 23% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the audience score is almost three times higher, sitting at a fresh rating of 63%. This would mark another case where the critics and audiences disagree on the quality of a film to a big degree, and it perhaps gives the Back in Action team some vindication after initially stumbling with a low debut score from critics right out of the gate.

Related The Mask Sequel Return Chances Addressed by Cameron Diaz After Jim Carrey Said He's Open to It

Cameron Diaz discusses a potential return to the world of...

Cameron Diaz has made her acting return in Back in Action, leading viewers to wonder what other fun action films they can find her own. After over a decade without an appearance in any movies or TV series, Diaz leads Back in Action's cast alongside Jamie Foxx, delivering an action-comedy film combination that's trending in the top 10 despite its poor reviews. It's undoubtedly fun to see such an iconic star return to the scene after so many years away, but she's had better and more successful work in the genre to explore after the new release.

Cameron Diaz's best movies range from comedies like Bad Teacher to family movies like Shrek to critically acclaimed art films like Being John Malkovich. The 52-year-old actress isn't explicitly known for appearing in action movies, unlike someone like Tom Cruise or Arnold Schwarzenegger, but she's had a fair few in her stint as a movie star,...

Back in Action starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx is just what it sounds like, with stunts and sequences only worthy of a spy duo who also happen to be married and parents to two children.

The Netflix film, which also features appearances from Glenn Close, Andrew Scott, Kyle Chandler, Jamie Demetriou and more, watches Diaz and Foxx team up once more as unofficially retired Quick Reaction Non-Official Cover Operatives for the CIA. They decided to call it quits when Diaz’s Emily found herself pregnant with their daughter Alice (McKenna Roberts), but as their enemies come out of the woodwork, they realize that a mission they never actually finished has come back to haunt them.

While they fend off some intimidating heavies with various dangerous methods that kids should not try at home, some classic smooth needle drops play. The scenes get more and more outrageous from a gas...

Back in Action has, as easily predicted, rocketed to the top of the Netflix streaming chart on its debut. Despite coming in for some heavy critical panning, the Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx action comedy is doing exactly what was expected of it.

As a film that suffered several delays, including a lengthy one caused by Jamie Foxx’s medical issues, Back in Action’s arrival on Netflix seemed like the end of a very long journey for the movie. Billed as Diaz’s big comeback movie, her first major appearance in a decade, there has been plenty of attention put on the film, making it almost guaranteed to be a viewership winner for the streaming platform.

Back in Action sees Foxx and Diaz playing former CIA spies Matt and Emily who find their lives thrown into disarray when their secret identities are revealed to the world in an online leak,...

Emily (Cameron Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx) were once spies in Netflix's Back in Action, but the exact details of their jobs for the CIA are a bit harder to explain. At the start of Cameron Diaz's comeback movie, Emily and Matt were trying to hide the fact that they were once spies from their children, Alice (McKenna Roberts) and Leo (Rylan Jackson). By the end of Back in Action, however, their children not only knew about their work for the CIA, they had gotten personally involved in their espionage work and met a huge portion of the cast of Back in Action.

While Matt and Emily explained they used to be spies, they didn't get into all the details of their former jobs. It was probably for the best that they didn't tell their children the specific dangers and challenges their espionage work entailed, but it also meant...

When Cameron Diaz broke the news of her return to the industry after years, fans couldn’t believe themselves. It had been almost a decade since her last film that they started shooting. And the movie hit theatres (read: Netflix) only a decade later.

That Back in Action made a lot of news for Diaz’s return is no secret. No wonder the Knight & Day star must have felt the pressure on her. But she had someone to rely on through thick and thin.

Cameron Diaz gets ‘back in action’ after a decade Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx have proved their camaraderie to the world || Image by David Shankbone, licensed under Cc By 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

That Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz have known each other for a long time is no secret. The duo worked alongside each other for the first time in the 1999 flick, Any Given Sunday.

In “Back in Action,” a domestic spy caper as generic as its title, Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz, as CIA operatives who’ve become a romantic couple, attend a kids’ birthday party thrown by a cyberterrorist from Belarus whose safe they’re planning to break into. But their identities are unmasked in about five minutes. They have to fight their way out of the criminal’s mansion, which they do in an extended sequence of bone-breaking face-offs, all accompanied by Frank Sinatra singing “L.O.V.E.” (“L…is for the way you look… at me…”). The song, as it’s used here, lays on the ironic jauntiness with a trowel. It’s the film’s way of saying: Nothing’s at stake, don’t take it seriously, turn off your brain and sink into the warm bath of this Netflix product-of the-week (because that’s all it’s here for).

Seth Gordon,...

After the release of 2014’s Annie, in which Cameron Diaz played Miss Hannigan, Diaz took a break from acting. By 2018, when she reunited with her co-stars from The Sweetest Thing for an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she described herself as “retired,” and stayed that way for the next several years — until now. Today sees the release of Back in Action, a straight-to-Netflix feature film that lured Diaz back onto a film set. At an event in October, Diaz explained that she had stepped away from her professional career because she had to “reclaim” her life and that what she was “passionate” about at the time was building her family, but that she agreed to Back in Action to re-team with her Annie co-star: “I couldn’t say no to Jamie.”

I accept that as her official reason, but having watched the movie, I now think she took the part...

Warning: This article contains spoilers for 2025's Back in Action.The director of Back in Action has discussed the possibility of a sequel. The new Netflix movie is an action-comedy directed and co-written by Horrible Bosses' Seth Gordon that stars Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz (in her first movie role since 2014's Annie) as Matt and Emily, a married couple whose former lives as CIA spies drag them and their kids into an action-packed adventure. The Back in Action cast also includes Andrew Scott, Jamie Demetriou, Kyle Chandler, and Glenn Close.

RadioTimes.com had the opportunity to sit down with Seth Gordon to discuss the ending of Back in Action, which involves Emily and Matt being approached by Baron (Scott) for another mission, this time involving Emily's father. Gordon teased that he has "got some ideas" about what that could involve in a possible sequel, which has not yet been officially greenlit by Netflix.

Back in Action, an espionage action-comedy is Netflix's first big release of 2025. Does it live up to expectations, or is it a flop? Here's our review! 

Both Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx have a solid history as collaborators. Their previous projects include Any Given Sunday (1999) and Annie (2014). After that, Diaz took a self-imposed hiatus from Hollywood work, before returning alongside Foxx for Netflix's Back in Action.

The movie is an espionage action-comedy that follows married couple Emily (Diaz) and Matt (Foxx) over a decade into their retirement as CIA agents. They live an idyllic life as a nuclear family while struggling to connect with their teenage kids, but their identity eventually comes to light. An incident from their past involving an all-powerful key that has access to all sorts (including nuclear warheads) catches up to them and requires their re-involvement.

Back in Action is predictable but it is entertaining?...

McKenna Roberts is starring in the new movie Back In Action!

The 17-year-old actress plays Alice, the quick-witted and resourceful daughter of Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz’s characters.

In the new action comedy, which is now streaming on Netflix, years after giving up life as CIA spies to start a family, Emily (Diaz) and Matt (Foxx) find themselves dragged back into the world of espionage when their cover is blown.

Video: Watch the trailer here!

Prior to Back In Action, you may have seen McKenna in the Barbie movie, or playing 10-year-old Rue on Euphoria. She was also featured in the movie Skyscraper, alongside Dwayne Johnson and Neve Campbell, and starred in many episodes of popular soap The Young and the Restless.

With her new movie out now, we caught up with McKenna Roberts and got to know 10 Fun Facts about her.

Keep reading to find out what she revealed…...

Plot: Two married former CIA spies (Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx) are pulled back into espionage when their former identities are exposed.

Review: There are two genres all of the streamers seem to be obsessed with: spy capers and heist movies. The super spy genre is an especially attractive one, as the plots can be thin, and old formulas can be recycled over and over again. As long as your stars are likeable and you have a decent director at the helm, spy flicks do their job as mindless entertainment. However, it’s worth noting that none of these streaming spy flicks have ever successfully launched a franchise, with most viewing movies like The Grey Man, The Mother, Heart of Stone or Ghosted as mediocre one-offs.

Back in Action has a storyline that’s awfully close to that of another streaming spy flick from just a few months ago, The Family Plan,...

Cameron Diaz is one of the most popular comedy and drama actors, and her films grossed billions at the box office. However, the actress stepped out of the spotlight to focus on her family for a decade and her comeback movie is not the success she'd hoped.

Netflix's Back in Action, where she stars with Jamie Foxx, is Diaz's first film in 10 years. The movie premiered on the platform on Jan. 17, and its debut score has just been unveiled. Out of 23 reviews, Back in Action has an abysmal 26% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which might fluctuate as more reviews come in. The audience score is currently not available, as there are fewer than 50 ratings at the time of publishing.

Related Cameron Diaz's First Movie in 10 Years Gets an Explosive New Trailer

Cameron Diaz steps out of retirement for her new action movie with Jamie Foxx.

Most of the...

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Back in Action is an action comedy film directed by Seth Gordon, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Brendan O’Brien. The Netflix film follows Emily and Matt, two former CIA spies who give up their life of danger to raise a family, but when their secret identities are revealed, they must go on a dangerous road trip to get their idyllic lives back. Back in Action stars Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx, Glenn Close, Kyle Chandler, Andrew Scott, Jamie Demetriou, McKenna Roberts, and Rylan Jackson. So, if you loved the fun action, charming leads, and espionage thrills in Back in Action, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

The Family Plan (Apple TV+ & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Apple TV+

The Family Plan is an action comedy film directed by Simon Cellan Jones from a screenplay by David Coggeshall.

Cameron Diaz is making an industry “comeback” with Netflix action comedy Back in Action, but the movie, which also stars Jamie Foxx, is proving to be anything other than comeback material with its Rotten Tomatoes reviews. The film, which had several setbacks during its production, arrives on the streaming platform today, and tellingly, the reviews from critics were held back until the last minute. Now, everyone can see why.

Netflix’s new action comedy has been in the headlines for many reasons over the last couple of years. As the movie Diaz chose to bring her back to screens for the first time in a decade, the film was always going to get attention. That was not the biggest headline grabber though, as that title goes to the mystery illness that saw Jamie Foxx rushed to hospital and the production shut down. However, there is only so much benefit that can come from such headlines,...

Back in Action has now debuted on Rotten Tomatoes, and the score marks a lackluster acting return for star Cameron Diaz. Directed by Seth Gordon, the Netflix action-comedy stars Diaz and Jamie Foxx as former CIA operatives Emily and Matt, respectively, as they are pulled back into the world of spycraft after their real identities are exposed. The film marks Diaz's return to acting after 10 years away from the spotlight, and the Back in Action reviews now making their way online are suggesting it might not be a triumphant one.

As the film now becomes available to stream on Netflix, Back in Action's Rotten Tomatoes score has begun to take shape. As of writing, the film stands at a disappointing 25% from 20 reviews, earning it a "Rotten" designation. This score is likely to fluctuate, however, as more reviews are added. There currently aren't enough audience reviews for a Popcornmeter score to take shape,...

Warning: This article discusses topics of suicide and terminal illnesses.

Cameron Diaz is a fabulously talented actress with a scope of incredible movies from her long-spanning career. Diaz’s acting kicks off with the hilarious Jim Carrey film The Mask, making her debut at just 21, but in recent years, she is best known for her performance in Will Gluck’s remake of Annie. Although she has retired from the silver screen before, she is still remembered and is an actress that many audiences hoped would return. Since her start in the ‘90s, Cameron Diaz’s net worth has soared from her most memorable roles.

Thankfully, Cameron Diaz’s movie comeback is finally happening. The actress is due to appear opposite Keanu Reeves in Apple TV’s Outcome, and she is once again lending her voice to Princess Fiona in the fifth installment of the Shrek franchise. While Diaz is generally prominent in romantic comedy movies,...

“Back in Action” is a Netflix movie starring Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx with Glenn Close, Kyle Chandler, McKenna Roberts, and Rylan Jackson.

Cameron Diaz’s much-anticipated return to the screen in Netflix’s “Back in Action” alongside Jamie Foxx proves that star power alone can’t salvage a tepid script. This action-comedy, reminiscent of the “Spy Kids” franchise, attempts to blend family dynamics with espionage thrills but ultimately fails to ignite the screen with any real spark.

The plot revolves around Emily and Matt, former CIA agents turned suburban parents, who find themselves thrust back into the world of espionage. It’s a premise we’ve seen countless times before, and unfortunately, “Back in Action” does little to freshen up the formula. The film’s adherence to well-worn tropes and predictable plot points makes it feel like a relic from a bygone era of Hollywood, rather than a fresh entry in Netflix’s catalog.

You have to imagine that Back In Action began with its casting, and worked everything else – that apt title, the corresponding premise – backwards from there. Because those three words apply most directly to the film’s A-list star: Cameron Diaz, returning to the screen for the first time in over a decade, on hiatus since 2014’s Annie remake. Back in action, indeed.

As a comeback vehicle, Seth Gordon’s (Horrible Bosses) fast and frothy action-comedy isn’t exactly a stretch for Diaz – from Charlie’s Angels to Knight And Day, she’s long combined outlandish action and affable laughs with ease. None of that ability has been lost in her ten-year absence, making Back In Action something of an easy-going delight – a slight but fizzily watchable spies-turned-parents-turned-spies-again romp.

Having left the CIA after discovering she’s pregnant mid mountain-top mission (a high-octane opening set-piece with some ropey CGI), Diaz’s Emily...

The title Back in Actionnot only references the story of two off-duty spies but also the return of Cameron Diaz and Jaime Foxx. The duo were last screen partners in 2014 for the remake of Annie, Diaz's last film before her retirement. Foxx suffered a medical emergency during production and Back in Action is his big welcome back after being waylaid. Regardless of the quality of the film, the project is engaging as we watch two charismatic people, talented stars, and dear friends come together for a quaint, family-friendly adventure.

Back in Action follows former CIA operatives Emily and Matt, who are thrust back into espionage years after retiring to raise a family. Released on January 17, 2025, the film unravels their return to the clandestine world when their identities are exposed.

Release Date  January 17, 2025Rating  PG-13Genres  Comedy, ActionCast  Robert Besta, Erol Ismail, Jude Mack, Julia Westcott-Hutton, Adam Basil, Tom Brittney,...

I'm ashamed to admit that this review was originally mean-spirited, an attempted dexterous put-down, but then David Lynch died today. He has nothing to do with Back in Action, and it's only a matter of cosmic happenstance that the two would be mentioned in the same paragraph, let alone one train of thought. I loved Lynch's work. I also loved Roger Ebert's work as a film critic. He did not like most of Lynch's films before The Straight Story, and yet, with his particular generosity of spirit and ability to give people the intellectual benefit of doubt, he was never mean about it. He wrote in his review of Wild at Heart:

"There is something inside of me that resists the films of David Lynch. I am aware of it, I admit to it, but I cannot think my way around it. I sit and watch his...

One of the great joys of cinephilia is understanding that every movie exists not just as a work of art, but as a brick in the foundation of its stars’ and director’s careers. When we idolize movie stars and follow their entire lives on and off the screen, no film can ever be entirely separated from its context within those filmographies. Seth Gordon’s Netflix comedy “Back in Action” seems destined to be remembered as little more than a footnote in Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx’s biographies — but that context is the only reason it even ascends to that level in the first place.

A generic comedy about two retired spies who are ejected from a life of married domestic bliss when a failed mission comes back to haunt them, the film was initially announced in 2022 as a comeback vehicle for Diaz, who has not acted since 2014’s “Annie” remake.

Oh Cameron Diaz, how we missed you — your winning comedic timing, your commitment to every role. Diaz was the Mvp of many a film despite, sadly, rarely getting credit for her acting talents before her quiet retirement from the business in 2014. It’s been over a decade since she’s performed in a movie or a TV show, but now she’s finally returned with a Netflix action comedy co-starring Jamie Foxx. And although it’s wonderful to see her back in action in Seth Gordon’s “Back in Action,” the film fails to answer the one very important question the audience will definitely have.

Why?

Why now? Why this film? What was it about this particular project that brought Cameron Diaz back in front of the camera? “Back in Action” has as generic a screenplay as it gets. It’s the same type of cut-and-paste formulaic family adventure you...

Seth Gordon’s Back in Action stars Cameron Diaz, in her first film role since 2014’s Annie, opposite Jamie Foxx as a retired C.I.A. couple now living as civilians and trying to raise a family. The filmmakers draw from a lineage of spy films like Mission: Impossible, as well as lighthearted subversions of the spy genre like Mr. and Mrs. Smith and The Incredibles, to create a deeply unimaginative family comedy that ostensibly has something to say about parent-child relationships. Unfortunately, that, too, is mostly seasoning for the blandest of plots.

The film kicks off with a prologue of Matt (Foxx) and Emily’s (Diaz) exploits as a C.I.A. couple that ends with them narrowly escaping from a downed plane set up to kill them. Learning that Emily is pregnant, the two resolve to live as civilians. But leaving the spy life behind proves harder than expected for these adrenaline-junkie parents,...

If Back In Action serves for no other reason than to be the movie that finally brought Cameron Diaz back in action making movies, than it was worth it.

Yes, this spy action comedy feels derivative as we have seen from Mr. And Mrs. Smith to Jason Bourne (as the film itself references), and as recently as Mark Wahlberg’s Family Plan which saw his character on the run with his unsuspecting family when his past as a secret assassin is outed. In Back In Action, it is longtime married couple Matt (Jamie Foxx) and Emily (Diaz) whose long-ago past as super spies comes home to roost — literally — as their suburban cover and happy family life with their two kids is disrupted when a key final job they did 15 years earlier comes back to haunt them. It brings them out of “retirement” on a mission to keep a certain weapon out of the wrong hands.

Director Seth Gordon’s latest film began with a simple question. “It really started with me just riffing on the kernel of an idea that came to me in the moment,” Gordon tells Tudum. “Which was, ‘What would it be like for Jason Bourne if he had kids? Would he have to retire?’ And [producer Beau Bauman] said, ‘That’s a movie.’ ” That movie? It’s Back in Action.

In the new action film, Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz star as Matt and Emily Reynolds, two suburban parents with a big secret: They’re actually retired secret agents. It turns out raising kids Alice (McKenna Roberts) and Leo (Rylan Jackson) can be just as challenging as high-stakes espionage. When daughter Alice sneaks out to hit the club, Matt and Emily follow her, and Emily gets caught on-camera in a viral video (“Boomers Wreck Dance Party”) that leads Matt and Emily’s...

Netflix's Back in Action is finally here, and here is a full breakdown of the cast and crew of the new action comedy film. Back in Action is finally reuniting Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx once again, with this being Diaz's first film role since her retirement after 2014's Annie. Fans of spy comedies like Mr. & Mrs. Smith will love the new Netflix Original movie, and here is every member of the film's star-studded cast.

Back in Action follows Cameron Diaz's Emily and Jamie Foxx's Matt, a married couple of Untied States spies who spent their early years engaging in dangerous espionage missions. After discovering that they were having kids, however, the duo decided to retire and take up secret identities. Fifteen years after they go into retirement, Emily and Matt's identities are exposed, meaning that the couple and their kids must go on a dangerous mission in order to save their lives.

In the Back in Action trailer, Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz star as gunslinging, sourdough-making, pickle ball playing, unofficial CIA spies. In the official trailer, released Monday, their family makes a pit stop to grab snacks when a leather-clad crew attacks them and blows their cover. Foxx makes a makeshift flamethrower, while Diaz throws punches to the tune of of Soulja Boy’s “Turn My Swag On.”

“Did you see what we just saw?” McKenna Roberts, who plays their daughter, asks in the trailer.

“Did you see what we just did?...

"We're compromised." Netflix has launched the full official trailer for the movie Back in Action, another "what if they were once spies" action comedy movie comedy to streaming on Netflix. It's ready to watch in a few weeks as a January drop on Netflix. Meh. The shoot had many issues, including medical emergencies on set, Jamie Foxx's hospitalization, and more. Years after giving up life as CIA spies to start a family, Emily and Matt – starring Cameron Diaz & Jamie Foxx – are dragged back into the world of espionage when their cover is blown. This sounds like so many other movies before. Diaz previously acted alongside Foxx in the 1999 sports drama Any Given Sunday and once again in 2014 in the remake of Annie. Ironically, Annie was the last film Diaz acted in before announcing her retirement in 2018. This also stars Kyle Chandler, Andrew Scott, Jamie Demetriou, McKenna Roberts, Rylan Jackson,...

Netflix has now dropped the second trailer for Back in Action, which stars Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz as Matt and Emily, two ex-CIA spies who find themselves dragged back into the world of espionage when their cover is blown. The streaming service also revealed the release date for Back in Action, with the action comedy flick set to premiere on January 17. In this trailer, a family trip gets interrupted as a quick stop turns into a fight for survival and Matt and Emily’s children are now exposed to the life that their parents had before they were born.

The official synopsis from Netflix reads,

“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. Back in Action is directed by Seth Gordon, from a script he co-wrote with Brendan O’Brien.

Cameron Diaz is out of retirement as one of the stars of the appropriately named film Back in Action. Coming to Netflix on Jan. 17, the official trailer for the film has now been released.

In Back in Action, per Netflix's synopsis: "Years after giving up life as CIA spies to start a family, Emily (Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx) find themselves dragged back into the world of espionage when their cover is blown." Seth Gordon directed the movie with a script he co-wrote with Brendan O'Brien. The film marks the first movie role for Diaz since she appeared in Annie in December 2014, marking a decade-long absence from Hollywood. Ahead of the movie's Netflix release, fans can get another early look at her return to the screen by watching the official trailer for Back in Action below.

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Acclaimed author Harlan Coben's...

Netflix has revealed the new trailer for the action comedy Back in Action, which will begin streaming on the service on January 17, 2025.

It’s been almost 10 years since Cameron Diaz’s last film appearance — but we have some good news. With Back in Action, Diaz is, well, back in action alongside her Any Given Sunday and Annie co-star Jamie Foxx.

The film is officially described as follows: “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.”

“We’re on a mission, and we take this opportunity where people might think we’re dead, to disappear off the face of the planet and start a new life and raise our family,” Diaz told Netflix previously.

The cast includes Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, Kyle Chandler, Andrew Scott, Jamie Demetriou, McKenna Roberts, Rylan Jackson,...

The official trailer for Netflix's Back in Action has debuted. The action comedy follows two former CIA spies, Emily (Cameron Diaz) and Matt (Jamie Foxx), who are unexpectedly thrust back into their lives of espionage. Emily and Matt’s children, Alice (McKenna Roberts) and Leo (Rylan Jackson), are also in danger and must grapple with the fact that their seemingly boring parents are highly trained spies. Back in Action is Cameron Diaz's first movie since 2014.

Netflix has now released the official trailer that provides a closer look at the incident in which Emily and Matt's pasts come back to haunt them. They are attacked while at a gas station with their children and are forced to resort to their old training, which includes Matt using a gas pump as a flamethrower and Emily taking down assailants through hand-to-hand combat. The trailer also reveals that Glenn Close is playing Emily's mother,...

Philomena Cunk asking the big questions; the return of one of film history’s greatest villains; the start of a groundbreaking rights deal for live wrestling; an epic Western drama that captures the brutality of the American frontier; Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz headlining a spy caper; and Gabriel Basso returning to his breakout role are some of the highlights among the new films and series hitting Netflix in January.

On Jan. 2, we will see the welcome return of Philomena Cunk on Netflix, perhaps the world’s greatest investigative reporter who is simultaneously the worst informed person on TV. Born from the mind of Black Mirror creator Charlie Brooker, deadpan queen Diane Morgan stars once more as Cunk in Cunk on Life, a follow-up mockumentary series to Cunk on Earth and Cunk on Britain. In Cunk on Life, once again Cunk asks absurdist, baffling and genuinely hilarious questions about the...

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2024 is almost over, and it was a pretty good year for Netflix and its subscribers because of all the marvelous content we got. In my opinion, it is nothing compared to what Netflix has in store for us for 2025, as some of the most highly-anticipated Netflix original movies will come out in the upcoming year. So, let’s find out which Netflix original movies you should look out for in 2025.

Back in Action (January 17) Credit – Netflix

Back in Action is an upcoming action comedy film directed by Seth Gordon, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Brendan O’Brien. The Netflix film follows ex-CIA spies Emily and Matt, who are reluctantly brought back into the action after their real identities are exposed. Back in Action stars Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx in the lead roles with Glenn Close, Kyle Chandler,...

Cameron Diaz (returning to the movies after a decade) and Jamie Foxx star in spy comedy Back In Action, here’s the trailer.

Cameron Diaz chose to step back from acting a decade ago, with her last feature film credit to date being 2014’s Annie. Before that, she was one of the biggest names in Hollywood, starring in films like The Mask, There’s Something About Mary, the Charlie’s Angels films and voicing Princess Fiona in Shrek.

Jamie Foxx began his career as a stand up comedian, partaking in the popular Def Comedy Jam shows before moving to television to be part of the cast of In Living Color. His first dramatic role was in 1999’s Any Given Sunday and he went on to star opposite Will Smith in Ali and Tom Cruise in Collateral. In 2005, he won the Best Actor Oscar for his performance in Ray.

Cameron Diaz now returns...

What would you do if you found out that your parents are international spies entrenched in a high-stakes undercover mission? That's exactly what Emily and Matt's children are wondering in the first official trailer for the new Netflix original action-comedy Back in Action.

Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx reunite on screen as married couple Emily and Matt, former CIA spies who had given up their careers for a normal family life. Well, their careers come back in a big way when they wind up begrudgingly pulled back into their old spy world for another mission after their covers are blown. As it turns out, time away didn't diminish their skills!

On Nov. 14, Netflix unveiled the first official teaser trailer for the upcoming movie, which makes its premiere on Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. In the trailer, Emily and Matt rediscover the excitement and danger their lives used to have and that makes them feel "alive again.

Cameron Diaz is ending her decade-long acting hiatus with “Back in Action,” a Netflix two-hander she stars in alongside Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx. The streaming service released a teaser trailer for the action comedy.

Diaz and Foxx play former CIA agents who gave up that dangerous life when they started a family. But when their cover is blown, they’re pulled back into the world of espionage. And you know what? They still like it. “For the first time in a long time, I felt alive again. I felt like ‘the bitch’ again,” Diaz’s Emily tells Foxx’s Matt, intercut with a scene of them fighting assassins at a gas station, with Matt using a pump as a flamethrower and Emily jumping off the hood of an SUV for a takedown. And their kids are seeing them in a whole new light. If you’re looking for another...