Netflix’s latest gender-swap comedy “Ladies First” arrives as a remake of the French film “I Am Not an Easy Man”, originally directed by Éléonore Pourriat. Directed by Thea Sharrock and starring Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike, the film explores a familiar concept: a male chauvinist high-flyer wakes up in a parallel world where women dominate society and men occupy traditionally subordinate roles.
The story follows its central character as he struggles to adjust to this reversed reality, with the narrative aiming to highlight gender dynamics and social inequality through satire.
The screenplay is written by Natalie Krinsky (The Broken Hearts Gallery) and Katie Silberman (Booksmart), supported by a largely female-led creative team.
Despite its timely premise, critics have pointed out that the film does little to expand on ideas already explored in earlier works such as Men Are from Mars, Women Are from Venus and similar body-swap or role-reversal comedies like What Women Want. According to reviews, the execution leans heavily on repetitive humor, with limited fresh commentary on modern gender politics.
The Guardian described the script as “painfully dated” and “smugly repetitive,” arguing that the film repeatedly returns to a single joke about gender reversal without offering deeper satire or insight.
Is it worth watching?
If you’re expecting something more than a light satire with sharp social commentary or a fresh perspective, it’s better to skip it.
- Release Date: 22 May 2026
- Where to Watch: Available to stream worldwide exclusively on Netflix.
- Director: Directed by Thea Sharrock, known for Wicked Little Letters and The Beautiful Game.
- Screenplay: Written by Natalie Krinsky, Katie Silberman, and Cinco Paul.
- Run Time: 84 minutes
