Mega Star Back With First Movie In 10 Years Is Already Netflix’s Biggest New Hit

By Jonathan Klotz
| Published 12 seconds ago

Cameron Diaz is finally back in a movie, ending her 10-year acting hiatus, and it’s easy to forget that she walked away while at the top as one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars. In a world where it’s common for stars and athletes to wait a little too long, it’s commendable that Diaz decided to take her money, invest in businesses she believed in, and choose to live the life she wanted . But now, she’s back alongside one of her best friends, Jamie Foxx, in Back to Work, the return of a Netflix action comedy that, if not for Diaz, would be completely forgettable.

Cameron Diaz is back

Back to Work would be lost in the middle of a sea of Netflix original without the added attention of Diaz’s return. As Matt and Emily marry ex-spies who live under false identities while raising their children, Foxx and Diaz sparkle in what is essentially and Mrs. Smith if they had a healthy relationship. After appearing at a nightclub, the pair’s cover is blown, and they embark on a race to recover the Industrial Control System (or ICS, which remains a fun way to spell “Mcguffin”) while keeping their children are safe.

Joining the pair are Kyle Chandler and Glenn Close who is always lovely, in what is not revenge on her character. Red but it’s also possible that it will be since she got a sniper rifle again and a license to kill. Surprisingly, the cast isn’t stocked from top to bottom with A-list stars but given how Back at Work ends, it’s clear that Netflix already has plans in place for for follow up. Whether that’s a good thing or not depends entirely on how you feel about old-school action comedies.

Cameron Diaz Is Still A Star

Back to Work suffers from being a Netflix film, with the same standard awkward lighting in every scene and the need for characters to actively talk about what they’re doing, in case one isn’t actually watching the film but in have it on as background noise. Compared to Red Noticethe streamer’s other star-studded spy adventure, Foxx and Diaz’s caper is easily better, but it’s just as fluffy and irrelevant. There’s no weight to the stakes, and everyone might wink at the camera while delivering goofy lines of technobabble about the ICS, but since the film has been number one since it came out, it’s clear that has found an audience.

Still at the top as Netflix’s most popular movie since it ended, Back to Work unoriginal, full of barely sketched characters, the flimsiest of villain motivations, cheap-looking special effects, and yet it’s an absolute blast. It is similar to the Rush Hour Trilogy in the sense that the charm and power of the lead star elevates the rest of the film. Cameron Diaz hasn’t lost a step and, at the age of 52, she could have a second act in Hollywood just as successful as her first.

If it came out 10 years ago, Back to Work It would have been in theaters, but during Diaz’s hiatus, the entertainment landscape changed, and Netflix originals have the budget and star power of major theatrical releases. Most movie fans will agree that it’s not changing for the better, and as fun as it is to see Cameron Diaz again, you can’t help but wonder if we missed out on something special. Then again, 46.8 million people have already watched the film on Netflix, so despite the lackluster release, it’s still a big hit.

You can judge for yourself and enjoy a good old fashioned action comedy romp via streaming Back to Work today on Netflix.