Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx make an amazing duo in this hilarious action comedy that hit the No.1 Netflix spot in the first weekend. If you're a fan of Charlie's Angels, Baby Driver, Miami Vice, or Knight and Day, you will love the leading actors in this film too.
Most movie spies strongly advise against two things: getting married and having children. Life as a spy is just too risky and generally doesn’t allow the time to properly invest in maintaining a healthy family dynamic. This is one reason why Emily (Diaz) and Matt (Foxx) leave behind their reputation of being two of the CIA’s most skilled agents. They show that it’s okay to prioritize family over your career and that there is power in trying to break unhealthy parenting cycles—even if you don’t always get it right.
Although Emily struggles with feelings of resentment toward her mom, who was also a spy, embarking on the teenage years with her own daughter, Alice, challenges what she thought she knew about parenting. Emily grew up believing that her mom was too invested in her career to be present and loving.
When Emily had her daughter, Alice, and her son, Leo, she resolved to do things differently. When her past shows up at her front door, will she be able to be the mom she always wanted? As Alice wrestles with wanting more independence and uncovering secrets about her parents, will she view them as hypocrites or heroes?
Is Back in Action safe to watch with kids?
You and your teen will likely find many scenes in the movie that resonate with current or past feelings toward one another and watching together could be a great opportunity to address communication styles, boundaries, and reinforce values that are important to you. The movie demonstrates the importance of having mutual respect between parent and child. We know that every parent makes mistakes, and a healthy family leaves room for parents to accept accountability in the same way that we expect from our kids.
Be sure to keep this movie-night choice classified for mature teens only. There is some coarse and suggestive language, as well as violence, but it is overall a light-hearted action comedy. The movie title is also fitting for actor, Jamie Foxx, as he returns to the big screen after a life-threatening health issue. Foxx talks in depth about his crisis and journey to recovery in his Netflix comedy special: What Had Happened Was (2024), rated TV-MA.
Back in Action is now streaming on Netflix.