Back in Action sees Cameron Diaz return to the big screen, alongside former co-star Jamie Foxx

The last time Cameron Diaz appeared on screen, Barack Obama was president, "bushy" eyebrows were in vogue, and Taylor Swift was dominating the pop charts with "Blank Space." It's been a long time for a star who was active in Hollywood for over two decades. However, her choice to step away from acting to raise children with a rock star and run an organic wine brand is understandable.

The movie "Back in Action" is about a former spy couple who are drawn back into global security threats after retirement. Directed by Seth Gordon and starring Cameron Diaz, Jamie Foxx, Andrew Scott, Glenn Close, Kyle Chandler, and Jamie Demetriou, the film is now available on Netflix. This movie is suitable for watching when you want to relax and not think too deeply, offering entertainment value.

What prompted this iconic figure from "Charlie's Angels" to return with this eye-catching new Netflix film remains a mystery. But this lighthearted action comedy happens to be a metaphor for the shift in her career. Diaz and her "Annie" co-star Jamie Foxx play Emily and Matt, a married suburban couple who gave up their glamorous and high-risk lives as globetrotting CIA agents after learning they were expecting a child.

Fifteen years later, they are living incognito in the American suburbs, driving SUVs and attending soccer practices, while raising two children—14-year-old Alice and 12-year-old Leo. The kids think their parents are very old-fashioned. Emily sells custom craft puzzles on Etsy, while Matt is busy frowning at Alice's 16-year-old boyfriend and his adolescent mustache. Soon, they follow their daughter to a nightclub, clash with some older boys, leading the couple to unleash chaos and expose their carefully constructed false identities.

Threatened by a group of Belarusian terrorists who are looking for a deadly cybersecurity device, the family packs up and heads to London. Matt hides the device at the estate of Emily's estranged, former MI6 mother. Their former boss appears to be dead, and a suspicious British agent is tracking them. The ensuing plot development is almost predictable. The movie has a smooth pace, and the soundtrack features songs by old-time singers like Dean Martin, Nat King Cole, and Etta James.

Despite its high production costs and glossy surface, "Back in Action" aims to keep subscribers casually engaged without interrupting their folding laundry, cooking, or other activities. It's like a harmless, algorithm-generated Spotify playlist—action in the background. Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx are both extremely charismatic stars, and their on-screen chemistry is also quite appealing. This movie serves as a low-stakes filler, and when viewed in a relaxed mood, it definitely won't be boring.

However, when the filmmaking is so ordinary and the script so uninspired, one can't help but wonder how far we are from a movie entirely generated by artificial intelligence, without the need to pay high salaries? The better moments in "Back in Action" are precisely those that remind us of the actors' unique personalities, when we catch glimpses of human moments in the performances. Diaz and Foxx rapping along to Salt-N-Pepa's "Push It" while their young kids roll their eyes? That's precisely the kind of scene this movie could have offered more of. Unfortunately, "Back in Action" doesn't really tap into the stars' comedic talents, nor does it tap into Diaz's unexpected dark and crazy acting talents.

Nevertheless, it's undeniably pleasing to see her return.