Movie · 2025 · Action, Comedy · 1h 54m · PG-13 · English
Curator score: 0.6/10 (221.4K ratings)
They're living their best lies.
Overview
Fifteen years after vanishing from the CIA to start a family, elite spies Matt and Emily jump back into the world of espionage when their cover is blown.
Ratings
Curator score: 0.6/10
IMDb: 5.9/10
Letterboxd: 2.42/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 31%
Metacritic: 46
TMDB: 6.4/10
Director
Seth Gordon
Production
Chernin Entertainment, Exhibit A, Good One
Cast
Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, McKenna Roberts, Rylan Jackson, Kyle Chandler, Glenn Close, Jamie Demetriou, Andrew Scott, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Robert Besta, Bashir Salahuddin, Tom Brittney, Ben VanderMey, Jude Mack, Luyanda Unati Lewis-Nyawo, Tobi Bamtefa, Leela Owen, Cruz Hadley, Zion James, Ivan Ivashkin
Where to watch
Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy, lightweight spy-comedy that mostly runs on star chemistry, broad jokes, and big-budget Netflix excess. It’s not especially fresh or sharp, but if you want an easy, undemanding action movie with a few fun turns and the appeal of Cameron Diaz’s return, it can go down smoothly.
Best for
Viewers who like breezy, low-stakes action comedies
Fans interested in Cameron Diaz’s comeback
People who don’t mind formula if the pace stays lively
Audiences looking for a family-friendly-ish spy romp
Skip if
You want clever espionage plotting
You’re tired of boomer-humor and generic streaming-blockbuster polish
You need action scenes with real bite or style
You prefer comedies with sharper writing and stronger originality
Overview
Back in Action is exactly the kind of movie its title promises: noisy, familiar, and built to get in and out without asking much of you. The appeal is mostly in the performers, especially the easy banter between the leads and the novelty of Cameron Diaz returning to the screen after a long absence.
Worth noting
The movie leans hard into broad, crowd-pleasing spy-movie mechanics, with enough gadgetry, chases, and domestic chaos to keep it moving. But it rarely surprises, and the humor often feels more functional than inspired. That said, the cast helps sell the silliness better than the script does.
Bottom line
If you’re in the mood for a disposable but polished action-comedy, this can work as a Friday-night stream. If you want wit, invention, or real suspense, it’s more likely to feel like content than cinema.
Top Letterboxd reviews
zoë rose bryant (3★) · 3170 likes
casting andrew scott as a straight man obsessed with cameron diaz is crazy when that’s canonically one of the gayest things you can be
theo (3★) · 1918 likes
cameron diaz on my screen in 2025, oh we’re so back!
Kylo (3★) · 1367 likes
I’m here for Cameron Diaz’s comeback and Netflix’s commitment to making stupid movies on the biggest scale.
2022 · Action, Adventure, Comedy · 1h 52m · PG-13 · Curator 1.5/10 (530.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Paramount Plus Premium, Paramount Plus Essential, Netflix Standard with Ads
A modern star-driven adventure comedy that succeeds on charm, banter, and playful genre familiarity.