Back in Actionwas supposed to be Cameron Diaz’s triumphant return to Hollywood, but instead it was a flop, and the actress' comeback tour is now off to a rocky start.Cameron Diaz famously retired from actingin 2014 after appearing in three movies that year,The Other Woman,Sex Tape, andAnnie, citing the two decades of traveling for work having taken its toll (viaBusinessInsider). The industry and fans were largely supportive but understandably disappointed. The Golden Globe-nominated actress was one of thebiggest celebrities and performers of her day.
When thecast was announced forBack in Action, the biggest news was that Diaz was returning to the big screen for the first time since 2014 to co-star alongside Jamie Foxx. The 2025 action comedy directed by Seth Gordon for Netflix follows a soon-to-be married couple, Matt (Foxx) and Emily (Diaz), who are also CIA agents, called back in after their secret identities are exposed. The film has a 29% onRotten Tomatoesand has some brutal reviews. It was the wrong choice for Diaz’s debut, especially consideringshe could have hit a home run with a romantic comedy.
Back In Action Wasn’t A Complete Disaster
Cameron Diaz And Jamie Foxx Have Excellent Chemistry
Back in Actionis a rough film.Netflix is notorious for turning out some bad original movieswith huge budgets and massive stars attached.Back in Actionhas a lot of the same problems those other bombs have. There’s a fake glossiness to it that’s hard to look past, and the story is of the generic quality that makes it nearly impossible to be engaged with the plot. There’s a cynical sense to the unnecessary globe-trotting and action, and it’s this type of shallowness that filmmakers likeMartin Scorsese have frequently railed against.
Cameron Diaz’s 20 Best Movies, Ranked
Cameron Diaz is a titan in cinema, famous for her roles that range from the deeply serious to the hilarious, and she stars in some incredible movies.
However,Back in Actionisn’t quite as bad as all that. It’s not as thoughtless as some other action movies that have come to Netflix, and that’s mostly thanks to Diaz’s and Foxx’s performances and chemistry. These two are movie stars and it shows. They add gravity to the dramatic scenes, their well-known comedic timing to the funny bits, and even when they aren’t doing anything, it’s hard not to be drawn to them. Cameron Diaz has still got it, which is why it would have been better to see her in a movie that could utilize her talents better.
A Cameron Diaz Rom-Com Would Have Been The Perfect Comeback Movie
Diaz Could Have Reinvigorated The Rom-Com Genre
Cameron Diaz is no stranger to action movies, but her best films have always been romantic comedies, and her comeback should have absolutely been in that genre. From her debut in 1994 withThe Maskas Tina Carlyle to one of her final movies in 2014,Sex Tape, as Annie Hargrove, Diaz has been a staple of romantic comedies. Heather Davis inShe’s the One, Kimmy Wallace inMy Best Friend’s Wedding, Mary Jensen inThere’s Something About Mary, Julie Gianni inVanilla Sky, Amanda Woods inThe Holiday, the list goes on and on.
Additionally, just because Diaz had a lot of notable roles in romantic comedies didn’t mean that she was a one-note actress.
Additionally, just because Diaz had a lot of notable roles in romantic comedies didn’t mean that she was a one-note actress. Beyond her non-rom-com roles inAny Given Sunday,Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle, andThe Counselor, Diaz proved she could play characters in similar genres completely differently. Mary Jensen is perfectly charming and funny, much different than Julia Gianni, who is cold and jealous as she works to take her revenge on Tom Cruise’s David, who broke her heart.
InBeing John Malkovich, Diaz is quietly humorous and a little sad as Lotte Schwartz. However, inIn Her Shoesas Maggie Feller, Diaz is upbeat and free-spirited. Rarely does Diaz repeat a character in her romantic comedies.A new film, with Jamie Foxx even, would have been a fantastic way to show audiences the Diaz they rememberedwas well and truly back.
A Rom-Com Starring Cameron Diaz Might Even Have A Theatrical Release
Diaz’s Moives Grossed Over $3 Billion
Thelast five years have been tough for rom-coms, not in terms of quality, as there have been plenty of excellent films in the genre, but in terms of global appeal and reach. There have been very few classic romantic comedies with huge stars at the center. Recently,rom-coms have had to be disguised within other genres, like in the cases ofElemental,Emma, andPalm Springs. Others have lacked true star power, relying on the hope that younger actors will have enough cultural cachet, like in the case ofHappiest Season,Crush, andHot Frosty.
Even more frustrating, a lot of romantic comedies go straight to streamers, making them feel unimportant or ephemeral.Hit Man,Red, White & Royal Blue, andThe Half of Itcould have made waves but either received no theatrical run or an abbreviated one. The only rom-coms that have come out recently with major stars, theatrical releases, and fit the mold of classic romantic comedies areAnyone but YouandNo Hard Feelings.A Cameron Diaz rom-com would be a welcome respite from the usualand likely would have done excellent numbers at the box office.
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It wouldn’t have been the first time a Diaz movie excelled at the box office.There’s Something About Maryearned $370 million (viaBoxOfficeMojo),The Maskearned $352 million (viaBoxOfficeMojo), andCharlie’s Angelsearned $264 million (viaBoxOfficeMojo). In total, her movies have grossed over $3 billion (viaBoxOfficeMojo). Trying to get people into theaters at the moment might seem like a tall task, but if there’s anyone who could do it, Cameron Diaz would be a good bet.
Cameron Diaz Isn’t Letting One Miscue Stop Her
Diaz Has Two Big Movies Coming Up
WhileBack in Actionmay not have been everything Diaz hoped it would be, she’s not letting one stumbling block rattle her. She’ll be returning to voice Fiona inthe upcomingShrek 5, which is as sure a bet as any. She is also set to star in the upcoming black comedy from Jonah Hill,Outcome, where she will play an as yet unnamed character.Back in Actionmay have been a flop, but it wasn’t a failure, because it at least meant we got Cameron Diaz back, and that’s a victory that’s worth any number of bad Netflix movies.
