As a fan of Sacha Baron Cohen, I thought I’d give this a watch. Ladies First is a 2026 American comedy film directed by Thea Sharrock. It is inspired by the 2018 French film I Am Not an Easy Man by Éléonore Pourriat. It stars Sacha Baron Cohen, Rosamund Pike, Charles Dance, Emily Mortimer, Tom Davis, Richard E. Grant, and Fiona Shaw.
It flips the script on a classic battle-of-the-sexes premise: an arrogant, chauvinistic ad exec wakes up in a parallel world where women hold all the power. It has some sharp moments and strong performances, but it often feels dated, heavy-handed, and stuck between wanting to be a silly comedy and a pointed social commentary.
Sacha Baron Cohen is reliably watchable as Damien Sachs, the swaggering ladies’ man who suddenly finds himself on the receiving end of casual sexism, catcalling, and workplace microaggressions. He leans into the physical comedy and bewildered reactions without over-relying on his usual outrageous personas, which keeps things relatively grounded. Rosamund Pike is excellent as Alex Fox, the formidable, no-nonsense counterpart who matches (and often exceeds) Damien’s former ruthlessness. Their chemistry crackles during the boardroom battles and awkward flirtations, and the supporting cast—including Charles Dance, Emily Mortimer, and Richard E. Grant—adds some British polish to the proceedings.
Unfortunately, the film can’t decide what it wants to be. It starts as broad farce, veers into rom-com territory, and ends with an earnest moral lecture that feels both preachy and toothless. The jokes are often painfully on-the-nose (the soundtrack choices alone scream “get it?”), and many of the gender-reversal gags feel like they were pulled from a 2000s self-help parody or an old SNL sketch. Critics are right to call it dated—it recycles ideas that felt fresh decades ago without adding much new insight.
The script (credited to Natalie Krinsky, Katie Silberman, and others) bludgeons its points rather than trusting the audience. By the time the inevitable romance subplot kicks in, the film loses whatever subversive edge it had.
Three stars from me, there are better ways to spend your time.
Mark's Writing Corner 