LADIES FIRST -- A Satire Without a Punchline

Review by Chadd Clubine

At this point, Ladies First holds a 13% score on Rotten Tomatoes. That may sound brutal at first glance, but considering it’s based on only 15 reviews, the number feels slightly less damning. Still, the lack of press screenings ahead of release was an early warning sign, as studios often avoid screenings when confidence in the final product is low. That was especially disappointing given the film’s cast and premise, both of which suggested the potential for a sharp, worthwhile comedy. The themes the film attempts to tackle feel timely and relevant, but unfortunately, the message comes across as muddled, and the humor rarely lands.

Sacha Baron Cohen seems to be entering a new phase of his career, one defined by physical transformation and a string of increasingly bland comedies. While his filmography has always varied in quality, he’s consistently been able to make a lead comedic role work through sheer charisma and timing. Rosamund Pike, meanwhile, remains one of the most compelling actresses working today, partly because of how selective she has become with her projects. On paper, pairing the two together felt like a perfect fit. Instead, the film awkwardly tries to convince the audience by the third act that their characters are essentially the same person — a revelation that feels unearned, nonsensical, and ultimately hollow.
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There are brief moments where the humor works, but whenever the film leans too heavily into absurdity, it falls flat. The comedy isn’t outright cringeworthy; it’s simply ineffective. Much of the film’s humor depends on portraying the female characters as exaggerated versions of stereotypically dominant male personalities. While that idea is clearly central to the film’s premise, relying on it repeatedly for laughs makes the comedy feel shallow and uninspired rather than clever or satirical.

Another issue with the film’s humor is that it constantly reminds the audience of the real-world behavior and societal problems it’s trying to satirize. Rather than turning those observations into sharp comedy, the film repeatedly beats the audience over the head with them. If the takeaway is simply, “This is how men act,” the joke quickly loses its impact and starts to feel repetitive instead of funny. By the time the film reaches its conclusion, it attempts to frame Cohen’s character as changed because he finally sees Pike’s character as someone just like himself. However, that revelation undermines the very message the film seems to be aiming for. Instead of suggesting genuine equality or understanding, it unintentionally implies that men can only view women as equals when they mirror male behavior exactly. As a result, the film’s themes collapse under their own contradictions, leaving the ending hollow and ineffective.

The film is never outright terrible in the way its Rotten Tomatoes score might suggest. It’s simply dull, uninspired, and painfully forgettable. Thankfully, the relatively short runtime prevents it from becoming an exhausting watch. For a Netflix comedy, it also avoids the aggressively cringe-worthy style often associated with a Happy Madison Productions release, which at least keeps it from feeling unbearably long. Still, just as the story begins to gain any momentum, it abruptly ends, leaving behind little more than disappointment.
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Overall, Ladies First completely wastes its potential. The premise and cast are strong enough to support a genuinely clever and meaningful satire, but the film leans too heavily on cheap jokes, a paper-thin story, and themes that never fully come together. It had the opportunity to say something insightful about gender dynamics in today’s world, yet it ultimately settles for surface-level commentary with little lasting impact.

Ladies First is now streaming on Netflix!

RATING: 2/5