Welcome back, Cameron Diaz—it’s amazing to see you on our screens again. Netflix’s Back in Action isn’t some profound spy drama, but it’s a gloriously thrilling good time that undoubtedly deserves a sequel. And given that ending, perhaps we’re already well on our way toward seeing one.
Directed by Seth Gordon and starring an incredibly talented cast, it’s amazing the film is pretty great when most like it have been disappointing flops on the streaming site. In truth, I was nervous this would be another Gray Man, a dull plot with some of our most appealing actors at the helm to draw the audience in. Instead, Netflix’s Back in Action is a genuinely good time that also features beloved names like Jamie Foxx, Glenn Close, Andrew Scott, and Kyle Chandler.
It’s not a narrative that demands too much out of its audience outside of their time to tell a story about what happens when retired spies are thrust back into action fifteen years after they went awol. It’s somewhat of a coming-of-age story and a comedy all at once that celebrates both Gen X and Gen Z’s means of doing things while providing its viewers with enough entertainment to keep us invested in the story. And expectations, in more ways than one matter here. If you go in hoping for something tremendous, you’ll be sorely disappointed, but go in thinking you’ll have fun and the movie will be a hit. It’s an especially good time for those who are already fans of Gordon’s type of comedy.
Perhaps there’s a sprinkle of nostalgia for some of us critics who grew up with Diaz in Charlie’s Angels and watch The Holiday religiously every year that makes the star’s return so comforting, even while the film isn’t some five-star gem. It’s special still—particularly so, as it reminds (and shows) new viewers that the appeal of Diaz’s work is her innate charm in creating relatable and down-to-earth characters, even if their job isn’t exactly something the average viewer could understand. It’s how she layers characters and brings subtle nuances to them that allow us to get so much more than the words on the page, making the character someone who’ll be remembered long after the credits roll.
It certainly helps that action comedies often have the means to provide thoroughly enjoyable means of escapism, despite the fact that we aren’t taking away something deeply life-changing from the plot. In a way, it’s like the Murder Mystery stories on Netflix, which easily provide momentary joy that’s elevated by the actors on the screen. Netflix’s Back in Action works because Diaz and Foxx have great chemistry. It works because every guest actor that pops up has us pointing to the screen, like Leonardo DiCaprio in Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood.
Right now, the world could use a lot more merriment in the fiction we consume—let’s save the heavy (and glorious) drama for Severance Season 2. Well-written, well-directed, and able to provide entertainment without trying too hard, this is a film for the whole family. It’s light and hilarious, plus the soundtrack goes hard in drilling the nostalgia that’s always reassuring to watch.
Back in Action is now streaming on Netflix.
First Featured Image Credit: ©Netflix