Ladies First

Taking an exaggerated view of contemporary gender politics rooted in old-fashioned chauvinism and brazen sexual harassment, Ladies First delivers payback in the most predictable way.

A broad British comedy skewering cutthroat corporate culture through a playful absurdist lens, this uninspired empowerment saga is too detached from reality for its deeper satirical jabs to connect.

Perpetuating such antiquated notions of male dominance is Damien (Sacha Baron Cohen), a charismatic London advertising executive trying to reinforce the glass ceiling at every opportunity. Barely a breath escapes his mouth without resulting in a sexist slur or cheap come-on.

The problem is that his equally toxic mentor (Charles Dance) knows the agency needs to promote a woman for optics. So upon being appointed CEO, Damien picks Alex (Rosamund Pike) and names her creative director.

It doesn’t take one brand pitch meeting before Damien demeans and disrespects Alex into quitting, follows her outside, and stumbles headfirst into a light pole.

He wakes up in an alternate reality where women hold all the power. Alex is now the CEO in the corner office, with Damien dismissed because of his appearance. He returns home to his father in the kitchen and his mother on the couch, demanding a beer.

Suddenly, Damien experiences what it’s like to be objectified, unfairly judged, passed over, and underappreciated. He must fight for the privileges he once enjoyed to climb back to the top.

As directed by Thea Sharrock (Wicked Little Letters), this remake of a 2018 French farce features some scattered laughs, such as an early montage that takes its premise to extremes — Harriet Potter, Pope Beatrice, Burger Queen, and more.

An energetic performance by Pike (Gone Girl) revels in her character’s subversive mischief, while Cohen (Borat) is eager to play along as the cartoonish object of ridicule.

However, without a hint of subtlety or surprise, too many of the gags fall flat as the one-joke premise funnels into an obvious arc of comeuppance and redemption.

Ladies First aims to roguishly tweak the re-emergence of toxic masculine ideals in modern culture, and women might relate to its table-turning fantasy. But the intended message reaching any oblivious real-world perpetrators seems doubtful with a film that’s too eager not to offend.

Rated R, 90 minutes.