Film Review: "Ladies First" (2026)
Enjoyable, lazy viewing.
The first What Women Want? Saw it theatrically in the year 2000. Had a kick out of it because it was set in Illinois. I watched the Chinese language remake some years later, and the What Men Want American remake. Now, Netflix gives us a not remake of a French Netflix not remake called Je ne suis pas un homme facile (I Am Not an Easy Man) of What Women Want. Ladies First.
Want to make your head spin? Wikipedia says that French feature was based on the 2010 French short, Majorité Opprimée, posted on YouTube. Don’t knock YouTube as a choice akin to film festivals, friends. The director of that short had Netflix offer her the French language feature opportunity from YouTube success.
How do they all stack? Ladies First has the weakest opening. It’s dull, and the setup is necessary. Could be a bit brisker. What Women Want, the Mel Gibson version, dove right into comedic things well and became sort of a dramatic Lifetime movie by the end. Against the Mel one, the Chinese remake was a lot more romantic, not at all crude. What Men Want, I can’t remember anything that happened in it today.
Ladies First becomes the Western version I liked the most after it gets rolling. Seeing Sacha Baron Cohen in his normal being was wonderful. I love his normal acting delivery when he isn’t Borat and Ali G. Calm and reserved.
Meeting anyone who works with film or fashion, the talks of how men’s wardrobes are versus women’s is our chitchat. How can I make things work for my dream on camera film characters? Give me some tips on how to make fit and fabric work on me, because I’m so tired of this? Help me with my shoes? I want shoes I can run in that aren’t flats? How can I look classy because all of the clothes on the market nearly are working against my healthy body shape with little ruffles and weird stuff?
So when I saw all the men in the movie dressed like women, their open V-necks, getting fitted for the male take on bras, the absurdity of it all, my smile grew softly. This was all those conversations put to the test in a film.
Ladies First had some missed chances for further dipping into the comedic male culture swapping. The strides away from What Women Want (2000) to the new 2026 one were pretty good. I’m still recovering from how badly that movie soured halfway in. If it is on TV at a hotel or some public place, I flip the channel around that mark so I don’t have to watch someone tell Mel Gibson with ESP she keeps looking at his crotch, and that quiet music works overtime hiding the plot going on spring break.
Ladies First all a little silly sometimes, very fun, when you meet people like Pigeon Man. A bit frisky at the plastic surgeon’s clinic. Nothing feels rough like What Women Want #1. Not bad, Netflix.
I relaxed with this movie surrounded by pet fur and plush bedding. Highly recommended for a cozy, sleepy night. The cats enjoyed seeing the cat on camera, true story, and one tried to catch it!
