Back in Action

"They're living their best lies."

2025 1h 54m EN

😐

6.4

MID

★6.4TMDB · 1,590

ActionComedy

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

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.

“They're living their best lies.”

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Where to watch · US

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Cast

Jamie Foxx
Matt
Cameron Diaz
Emily
McKenna Roberts
Alice
Rylan Jackson
Leo
Kyle Chandler
Chuck
Glenn Close
Ginny
Jamie Demetriou
Nigel
Andrew Scott
Baron

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Seth Gordon
Writers: Brendan O'Brien, Seth Gordon
Languages: English, Polish
Countries: United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

$159M budget — tentpole studio territory.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released last year.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Polish.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Seth Gordon, shot by Ken Seng. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Christopher Lennertz. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Peter S. Elliot shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz and McKenna Roberts carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "They're living their best lies.".

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Seth Gordon directs. Ken Seng behind the camera. Christopher Lennertz scores. Peter S. Elliot cuts. Produced in United States of America. Dialogue in English, Polish.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1$159M budget — tentpole studio territory.
2Released last year.
3Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Polish.
4Directed by Seth Gordon, shot by Ken Seng. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Original score by Christopher Lennertz. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
6Editor Peter S. Elliot shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
7Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz and McKenna Roberts carry the top of the cast.
8Marketing tagline: "They're living their best lies.".
9IMDB entry: tt21191806 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
10Classified under 14 themes, including "spy", "double cross", "global threat", "gun fight".

The technical file

Cinematography: Ken Seng
Original score: Christopher Lennertz
Editing: Peter S. Elliot
Production design: Shepherd Frankel
Costume design: Richard Sale
Makeup / hair: Chris Diamantides
VFX supervisor: Malte Sarnes
Sound: Greg P. Russell
Stunt coordinator: Travis Wong
Runtime: 114 min · 1h 54m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $158,900,000
Original language: EN
Certification (US): PG-13
IMDB: Back in Action (2025)

Also by

Seth Gordon

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Trailers & featurettes

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Community reviews

What people are saying

Manuel São Bento2025-01-17
★ 2/10
FULL SPOILER-FREE REVIEW @ https://fandomwire.com/back-in-action-review/ "Back in Action would have been more appropriately titled Out of Action. Seth Gordon fails to strike the necessary balance between action, humor, and emotion to stand out in the genre, delivering a highly forgettable, formulaic piece. Cameron Diaz's return is squandered in a movie that fails to showcase her talent or that of the star-studded cast. The film not only struggles to justify its runtime but also leaves viewers feeling like having watched something generic and devoid of identity, where only the stunt department earns praise. For the start of a new cinematic year, this is a misstep I sincerely hope doesn't set the tone for what's to come." Rating: D-
MovieGuys2025-01-28
★ 6/10
"Back in Action" feels like a bargain basement "True Lies". Unlike the 1994 action, comedy, spy mash up it shallowly imitates, "Back in Action" offers up nothing fresh or original. That's not to say its unwatchable. As a basic action flick its mildly diverting but, that said, you very quickly come to feel like you have seen it all before, because in one form or another, you have. In summary, yet another "by the numbers", mass produced, action flick, from the USA. An alright but also instantly forgettable, watch.
r96sk2025-02-09
★ 6/10
<em>'Back in Action'</em> is one I found to be a real mixed bag. I think I narrowly didn't like it, though it isn't one I'd explicitly say that I disliked either. Everything about it just kinda levels out at underwhelming. The respective returns of Jamie Foxx and Cameron Diaz are its selling point. Both Foxx and Diaz are fairly good, the latter minorly the better of the two. McKenna Roberts and Rylan Jackson are decent as the youngsters, while the supporting cast of Glenn Close, Kyle Chandler, Andrew Scott and Jamie Demetriou (his character is particularly on/off) are OK (if ill-fitting?). I think what lets this down most is story and pacing, which are the two weak elements of this 2025 release. I believe you could've told this plot much more concisely, it goes around the houses a little bit. The humour is also more miss than hit, I rate the Manchester United shoutout though!