For all its attempts to position itself as a modern examination of masculinity, empathy, and gender dynamics, Netflix’s Ladies First ultimately leans on one of cinema’s most exhausted tropes: the misogynistic man who, through a magical twist of fate, is forced to understand women better and emerges as a marginally improved human being. It’s a formula audiences have seen countless times before. The film dresses this familiar narrative in contemporary language and social commentary, but no amount of modern packaging can disguise how dated the central idea feels.
Rather than offering a genuinely nuanced exploration of gender relations, the film settles for broad stereotypes, predictable lessons, and jokes that rarely land. It bears more than a passing resemblance to Mel Gibson’s What Women Want. Ladies First updates the setting and refreshes the vocabulary, but its worldview remains remarkably similar. Watching it often feels less like sitting through a reheated version of an old meal that wasn’t particularly memorable the first time around.
Yet the film somehow avoids complete collapse thanks to its cast.
Rosamund Pike, as always, brings a level of intelligence that elevates material far beneath her abilities. Even when the screenplay gives her little to work with, she manages to inject scenes with a degree of credibility and charm. Pike has built a career out of inhabiting complex, layered characters, which makes her presence here all the more baffling. One cannot help but wonder what exactly drew her to this project. The same question applies to Sacha Baron Cohen. A performer known for fearless satire and razor-sharp comedic instincts, Cohen appears strangely underutilised. There are fleeting moments that remind viewers why he remains one of the most inventive comic actors of his generation, but they are too few and far between. Their performances are watchable, occasionally even enjoyable, but they also serve as constant reminders of what Ladies First could have been.
Why either actor signed on remains one of the film’s enduring mysteries. Perhaps they were looking for something light between more demanding projects. Perhaps they simply wanted an easy paycheck. Perhaps boredom struck during a quiet week at home. Whatever the reason, audiences are left wondering how two performers of such calibre found themselves navigating material this uninspired.
The film is not offensively bad. It is something arguably worse: forgettable. If you’re a devoted Pike or Cohen fan, there is enough star power here to justify a casual viewing. For everyone else, there are better ways to spend a Saturday night. Even sleep, arguably the most passive activity imaginable, offers a more rewarding experience.