Ladies First on Netflix: Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike, the Cast, and the Mixed Reception

Ladies First is the new Netflix comedy from director Thea Sharrock, starring Sacha Baron Cohen opposite Rosamund Pike. It dropped on Netflix on May 22, 2026, and has been one of the streamer's most discussed releases of the month, partly for the cast pairing and partly for the genuinely mixed critical response.

This is the honest guide. What the film is, who is in it, where the story comes from, what the reviews actually say, and whether it is worth your two hours.

What Ladies First is about

The film opens on Damien Sachs, played by Sacha Baron Cohen, a self assured advertising executive on the cusp of becoming chief executive of a major agency. Damien's life is built on money, power, and a steady stream of casual relationships, and he treats all three with the same lack of interest in consequence.

An incident in the opening act sends Damien into a parallel world where the gender hierarchy is reversed. Women hold the institutional power. Men are expected to perform domestic and emotional labour without complaint. The boardroom Damien expected to lead is now run by Alex Fox, played by Rosamund Pike, who is uninterested in his old playbook. The film follows Damien as he tries to navigate the new rules, with Alex as the foil he keeps colliding with.

It is a body of work comedy in the older sense. The premise is the engine, the script is the test of how far it can go, and the leads are the reason to watch.

The cast

The two leads are the headline. Sacha Baron Cohen plays Damien in a slightly more naturalistic register than his usual character work, which is one of the more interesting choices in the film. Rosamund Pike plays Alex Fox, the executive at the centre of the parallel world, with the same controlled comic timing she brought to I Care a Lot and the Quentin Dupieux films.

The supporting cast is the deepest bench of the year on Netflix:

• Charles Dance as a senior figure in the parallel world's establishment.
• Emily Mortimer as a colleague of Alex who becomes one of Damien's reluctant guides.
• Tom Davis in a comic supporting role.
• Richard E. Grant in an extended cameo that has been one of the more praised performances.
• Fiona Shaw as the parallel world's most senior executive.

That is a cast that, on paper, is a guarantee of at least a watchable film. The mixed reception is a comment on the script rather than the performances.

The source: I Am Not an Easy Man

Ladies First is an English language reworking of the 2018 French film I Am Not an Easy Man, written and directed by Eleonore Pourriat, which had its own moment on Netflix when it dropped. The premise is the same, the setting is updated, and the satirical register is, broadly, similar.

If you have seen the original, you will recognise the structure. The remake's defenders argue that it brings a sharper cast and a more polished production to a premise that benefits from the upgrade. The remake's critics argue that the original was sharper and less interested in softening its punchlines for a broader audience. Both readings are fair. If you want the bolder version, watch the Pourriat film. If you want the bigger budget version with the stars, watch Ladies First.

What the reviews actually say

The reception has been split. The film opened on Rotten Tomatoes with a critic score in the low double digits, around 13 percent, which is a bad headline number. Reading through the actual reviews, the picture is more nuanced than that headline implies. The most common critical complaints are:

• The premise is set up well but the script does not push the satire as far as it could.
• Several supporting plot lines are introduced and then dropped.
• The romance arc between Damien and Alex resolves more conventionally than the setup promises.

The most common defences are:

• Pike and Baron Cohen have real chemistry and the central pairing works.
• Richard E. Grant's scenes are genuinely funny on their own terms.
• The production values are higher than most Netflix comedies, with Thea Sharrock's direction landing the bigger set pieces.

The honest summary is that this is a film with a strong premise, an excellent cast, and a script that does not quite live up to either. If you go in expecting a fully realised satire, you will be disappointed. If you go in expecting a comic two hander with two of the best comic actors of their generation, you will probably enjoy yourself.

Where to watch Ladies First

Netflix worldwide, from May 22, 2026. There is no theatrical window. The film is a Netflix Original and exclusive to the platform.

Other Sacha Baron Cohen and Rosamund Pike films worth your time

If Ladies First sends you looking for the leads' better work, the obvious starting points are:

• Sacha Baron Cohen: Borat (2006), The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020), and his Oscar nominated supporting work in The Brothers Grimsby's more dramatic counterpart, The Spy (2019 Netflix series).
• Rosamund Pike: Gone Girl (2014), I Care a Lot (2021), and her recent work in Saltburn (2023).

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Frequently asked questions about Ladies First

Where can I watch Ladies First?

Netflix, worldwide. The film released on Netflix on May 22, 2026.

Who directed Ladies First?

Thea Sharrock, whose previous work includes Me Before You and Wicked Little Letters.

Is Ladies First based on another film?

Yes. It is an English language remake of the 2018 French film I Am Not an Easy Man, written and directed by Eleonore Pourriat. The original is also on Netflix in many territories.

What is the Rotten Tomatoes score?

The film opened with a critic score in the low double digits, around 13 percent, which is among the lowest of the year for a film with this cast. Audience scores have been higher.

Is Ladies First worth watching?

If you watch for the lead performances, yes. The Baron Cohen and Pike pairing is the strongest reason to engage with the film. If you watch for the satire of the premise, the reviews suggest the film does not push it as far as it could.

For more honest takes on what is new on Netflix, browse our streaming guides, or use The Movies Finder to find your next watch.