(Image credit: Rob Youngson / Netflix)
Tom's Guide Verdict: 'Ladies First'Rating: 1.5/5 starsVerdict: "There is potential in a comedy that explores societal sexism through a humorous lens, but Netflix's 'Ladies First' completely fails to say anything meaningful. The end result is a largely joyless comedy that wastes the talents of Rosamund Pike and offers viewers little to enjoy beyond a singular, not particularly funny in the first place, gag."Where to watch: "Ladies First is on Netflix nowI don’t know if there’s currently a world record for the most times a movie has recycled the same joke. However, if such a record does in fact exist, the creatives behind Netflix’s new comedy, “Ladies First,” should expect a knock on the door from Guinness World Records. This movie has a singular gag — reversing gender roles in stereotypical situations — and repeats it so frequently that by a third of the way through, I was already itching for the credits.Frankly, there’s barely enough comedic material in “Ladies First” to fill a "Saturday Night Live" sketch. Spinning its singular, not particularly clever, central concept across a whole feature film is an effort I suspect was always doomed to fail. And fail this movie does. It’s a Netflix comedy devoid of humorous moments, interesting narrative beats, or compelling characters.Only adding to my frustration is that “Ladies First” flirts with an important message, but it’s like being told sage advice by somebody you don’t take seriously; you won’t listen. There is space for a clever comedy movie that lampoons and highlights the very real injustices and inequality that women face in the workplace (and society at large), but “Ladies First is not it.What is ‘Ladies First’ about?
