Ladies First Movie Review: A Superficial Take on What Women Really Want
In 2026, a lot more is expected from a movie like Ladies First, but instead, it keeps hammering away with a one-note approach. The film, a remake of the 2018 French film I Am Not an Easy Man, attempts to tackle gender roles and power imbalances but remains superficial throughout.
Story: Damien (Sacha Baron Cohen), an arrogant and unabashedly sexist man, is next in line to be CEO of Atlas Agency, supported by his mentor Fred (Charles Dance). The board, however, demands gender balancing in upper management. As a quick fix, Damien instructs his secretary Ruby (Weruche Opia) to choose a woman for promotion. Ruby selects Alex (Rosamund Pike), a qualified and long-serving employee. Damien promotes her only for optics, undermining her ideas and later admitting to a colleague that she was hired just to appear gender-neutral. Outraged, Alex quits. Damien chases after her, bangs his head on a pole, and wakes up in a gender-swapped world.
Review: In this alternate reality, everything is flipped: Harry Potter becomes Harriet Potter, it's Lady of the Rings, and roads are named Queens Cross. Men order salads instead of fries, and shop for lacy bras. At work, Felicity (Fiona Shaw) is now CEO, Alex holds Damien's old position, and Damien is relegated to a lower role. Women objectify men, and the janitor Glenda (Kathryn Hunter) owns the company. While this setup effectively highlights gender imbalance, the screenplay (by Natalie Krinsky, Cinco Paul, and Katie Silberman) fails to go deeper. The film stays at a superficial level, refusing to explore nuances.
Damien learns lessons about his behavior, but the predictable narrative lacks insight. The cast delivers credible performances, with Rosamund Pike, Sacha Baron Cohen, Fiona Shaw, Richard E. Grant, and Charles Dance shining. Slick production values compensate somewhat for the weak story. Director Thea Sharrock, known for Wicked Little Letters (2023) and The Beautiful Game (2024), falters here. The premise feels dated, reminiscent of What Women Want (2000). In 2026, a film about gender roles should be witty and sharp, but Ladies First remains one-note.
Cast and Crew
- Rosamund Pike as Alex
- Sacha Baron Cohen as Damien
- Emily Mortimer as Producer, Actress, Writer
- Richard E. Grant as Actor, Director
- Thea Sharrock as Director
Ladies First is streaming on Netflix. It runs for 1 hour 30 minutes and is rated 2.5 by critics and users.
