Ladies First

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2:25

Ladies First

R

2026

1h 33m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

26%

Tomatometer

47 Reviews

64%

Popcornmeter

1,000+ Ratings

Damien Sachs (Sacha Baron Cohen) seemingly has it all: money, power, and a never ending stream of casual flings. As he prepares to ascend to the role of CEO at a leading advertising agency, his life is turned upside down when he wakes up in his worst nightmare: a parallel world dominated by women. Where he once ruled the boardroom, he now finds himself humbled and going head-to-head with the newly fierce and fearless Alex Fox (Rosamund Pike). With the rules of engagement changed and Alex at the top of her game, the two boldly battle it out in a playful and satirical comedy about what happens when the script is flipped.

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Critics Consensus

A subversion of gender roles that feels outdated upon arrival, Ladies First's topsy-turvy fantasy is too cloying to wring many laughs from the battle of the sexes.

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John Anderson

Wall Street Journal

May 29, 2026

The destination of “Ladies First” might as well be on tracks. But Ms. Pike is terrific, as are Ms. Shaw, Mr. Dance and Mr. Baron Cohen, an agile comedian in a production that isn’t particularly taxing.

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Amber Dowling

Globe and Mail

May 26, 2026

Director Thea Sharrock presents a somewhat predictable but entirely cathartic take on what it really would look like if women ran the world, and it is fine companion viewing for Eléonore Pourriat’s French film I Am Not an Easy Man, on which it’s based.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

May 26, 2026

2/5

The gender politics, much like the French original, are bonkers and alarmingly retro.

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André Didyme-Dôme

Rolling Stone en Español

Sep 16, 2026

Where I Am Not an Easy Man dared to get his hands dirty, this adaptation tries to keep it clean. It changes the language, expands the cast, and improves the packaging, but it loses its edge. [Full review in Spanish]

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Charles Koplinski

Reel Talk with Chuck and Pam

Jul 7, 2026

3/4

The issue of gender inequality gets a Dickensian twist in Thea Sharrock’s "Ladies First," a clever, timely satire that turns the workplace dynamic on its head.

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Erik Childress

Movie Madness Podcast

Jun 18, 2026

1/4

If the film was retro-fit back to the 1960s, the dynamics may have rung truer but it still wouldn’t have been funny. Suggesting that it is radical for men to be relegated to cooking duty in 2026 you can almost hear Danny Trejo say 'Guys can do stuff now.'

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Nathan J

@TribianiRamoray Oct 2, 2026

Rated: 5.5/10 I wanted a goofy weekend comedy, and the gender-swap premise caught my eye. I kinda like this; it’s a weird satire with funny moments, even if it gets heavy-handed. The Director's Eye (What Worked): • Pike owns her role as a ruthless boss; her energy is super fun. • The flipped office dynamic when Damien wakes up is hilarious. • Cohen brings chaotic physical comedy, making Damien’s confusion entertaining. The Friction (What Didn't Click for Me): • The lawsuit subplot really dragged for me and felt like filler. • Gender-swapped jokes felt repetitive after the first hour. • Damien’s sudden shift at the end felt super rushed to me. The Verdict: I like this. Watch for a goofy role-reversal comedy. Skip if heavy-handed lessons annoy you.

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Marcos B

@RT71906834 Sep 28, 2026

This movie taught me one thing, before watching a movie please read the reviews!!!

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Mariah F

@RT26411295 Sep 26, 2026

I think this movies portrayed women really bad. Why does feminine domination need women to act masculine, isn't that contrary to what the actual message is? depicting women as powerful by making them as masculine as possible? why can't a matriarchal world navigate to what women truly want.

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Dan E

@DJEast Sep 25, 2026

The critics - ugh - who needs them!? Really, it's a fun story - lots of belly laughs - and cleverly done. Very British in its sense of humor with some notable Britt actors in the mix. The movie makes fun of all the 'typical' stereotypes and actually makes one realize just how nuts it really has been for women in the workplace. We've made so many positive strides but so many pigs are still out there - sad - but the jokes on the main pig in this film. Funny and worth the time.

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Luis G

@RT00624178 Sep 23, 2026

Overall a decent movie, i love the female empowerment it brings without me feeling attacked as a man. Sure they make some jokes but in general great movie. Lovely premesis. Altough the french version did it sooner and slightly better.

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Riccardo G

@IkeHarris Sep 21, 2026

The twinkification of all men in the world.

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Thea Sharrock

Director

Sacha Baron Cohen

Actor

Rosamund Pike

Actor

Charles Dance

Actor

Emily Mortimer

Actor

Tom Davis

Actor

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Synopsis

Damien Sachs (Sacha Baron Cohen) seemingly has it all: money, power, and a never ending stream of casual flings. As he prepares to ascend to the role of CEO at a leading advertising agency, his life is turned upside down when he wakes up in his worst nightmare: a parallel world dominated by women. Where he once ruled the boardroom, he now finds himself humbled and going head-to-head with the newly fierce and fearless Alex Fox (Rosamund Pike). With the rules of engagement changed and Alex at the top of her game, the two boldly battle it out in a playful and satirical comedy about what happens when the script is flipped.

Director: Thea Sharrock
Producer: Liza Chasin, Eleonore Dailly, Edouard de Lachomette
Screenwriter: Natalie Krinsky, Cinco Paul, Katie Silberman
Distributor: Netflix
Production Co: 3dot productions
Rating: R (Sexual Material and Language)
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 22, 2026
Runtime: 1h 33m

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