'Ladies First' Review
- Connor Petrey
- 2 hours ago
- 2 min read
Release Date: 05/22/26 [Netflix]
Genre: Comedy.
MPAA: Rated R.
Distributor: Netflix.
The Verdict: A Mistake
Based on a French film that was released on Netflix several years back, Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike take over in this English language remake that, while not even close to as poorly executed as the trailer indicated, it still leaves a lot of commentary on the table.
Coincidentally just a few weeks back I had noted that Cohen, having appeared in Prime Video’s Balls Up, was seemingly incapable of not doing an exaggerated accent. I’ll applaud him, as here, this might in fact be his natural voice. Playing a suave elite minded individual that is male focused, with the idea that women are not right to lead. Well - after his world is turned upside down after an accident causes women to take over for the stereotypical male dominated roles in society - he must change his outdated mindset or be forever trapped.
Rosamund Pike isn’t given enough in the “real” world for the audience to truly care for her well being as when the tables are turned and she becomes the potential head of the company, she attributes the same douchebag persona of Cohen before his change of heart and soul. They do work well off one another as they have more time as rivals, but their forbidden connection comes a little too late for any kind of profound revelation.
While the comedy doesn’t pack a significant punch and may be incredibly surface level, it’s clearly coming from a good place. The issue is that whether the intentions are well or not, it is above all else… a comedy that fails to make much of an impact. From obvious misogynistic jokes, sex humor, and oddly weird leaps in judgment, Ladies First makes for a film with more awkward silences than laughs.