Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)
In the modern era, the phrase “ladies first” can either sound charmingly chivalrous or hopelessly outdated, depending on who you ask. But some writers tracing the term’s origins suggest it may not have emerged from respect at all. One theory claims Viking men would send women ahead into unfamiliar territory first to check for traps or enemies, because losing a woman was considered less damaging to the group. Over time, however, the phrase evolved into the idea that women be prioritized in all sorts of situations, which is why they were famously loaded onto lifeboats first during the sinking of the RMS Titanic.
But before this review disappears too deeply into accidental history-class territory, let’s get to the 2026 film “Ladies First”, which follows a man who suddenly finds himself transported into a world run entirely by women, where the common phrase is now “men first” because men are viewed as the fragile, disposable gender.
Inspired by the 2018 French film ‘I Am Not an Easy Man’ by Éléonore Pourriat, the Netflix film stars Sacha Baron Cohen as Damien Sachs, a high-flying misogynist who hits his head and wakes up in a world where he is no longer the powerful executive poised to become the next CEO of his company, Atlas. Instead, Damien finds himself reduced to just another invisible male employee working under Alex Fox (Rosamund Pike), the very woman he had fired in the “real” world shortly before the accident.
If “Ladies First” had released 20 years ago, it probably would have felt like a riotous satire. But in 2026, much of its humor lands as stale and oddly toothless, with only the occasional joke hitting the mark. But even though the script is B+ at best, it’s the lead actors who makes is just about watchable, even though you wonder why did they even say yes to this story (guessing the pay checks were nice, obviously).
The opening minutes of “Ladies First” quickly establish Sacha Baron Cohen’s Damien as a smooth-talking but deeply sexist asshole, while Rosamund Pike excellently plays an under-confident nervous wreck who has worked under Damien for nearly two decades without ever receiving proper recognition for her hard work.
When Pike’s character finally lands a promotion, she is moved to tears, only to discover it is merely a token gesture meant to create the appearance of female representation at the top. She is ignored during meetings and instantly fired the moment she tries to assert herself. Pike then brilliantly transforms into the commanding Alex Fox once “Ladies First” flips the script on Damien and throws him into a matriarchal world where he suddenly becomes invisible.
Then again, Rosamund Pike excelling as intimidating, powerful women is hardly surprising at this point, whether as Moiraine Damodred in The Wheel of Time, the ruthless corporate predator Marla in ‘I Care a Lot’, or of course her iconic turn as the manipulative Amy Dunne in Gone Girl. Supporting actor Fiona Shaw is entertainingly comical in her small part as Felicity, receptionist in the real world, but a sleazy CEO who preys on men in the alternate reality.
Sacha Baron Cohen, meanwhile, is oddly forgettable in “Ladies First”. It is not that he performs the role poorly, but the script simply is not sharp or funny enough to make the whole “powerful CEO turned insignificant employee” arc particularly memorable. Damien desperately tries to climb the corporate ladder in his matriarchal world, where men are heavily objectified and treated like second class citizens. The second-half thus sees Damien and Alex competing to become the next CEO, even though Alex is sure a man simply doesn’t stand a chance at the top job.
The film also awkwardly forces in a romantic subplot that never quite fits the story it is trying to tell. To be fair, the movie is clearly intended as a broad parody about gender roles and power dynamics, arguing that in a matriarchal society, women would likely end up occupying the same exploitative and sexist positions men historically have, just with the roles reversed. So of course the primary lesson here is for Damien to realize that women don’t have it easy.
From billboards and shopping malls to giant corporate brands and flashy advertisements, “Ladies First” has a fun time imagining what a female-dominated society might actually look like. Burger King becomes “Burger Queen,” hair-removal ads aggressively target men and their “sensitive areas,” while Victoria’s Secret is hilariously rebranded as “Victor’s Secret,” complete with special undergarments designed to enhance male anatomy. Everywhere Damien looks, giant hoardings featuring sculpted male butts dominate the landscape. Whatever problems Ladies First may have as a comedy, the world-building itself is creatively ridiculous. Just that it feels very 2000s.
Watch “Ladies First” on Netflix.
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