Netflix was hoping that Ladies First would generate some discussions, controversy, and hype. Rather, the Sacha Baron Cohen-led gender-swap comedy has garnered a collective shrug online. Pity and bafflement appear to be the two most common reactions that critics and viewers have towards the film, with many saying that it never gets beyond the attention-grabbing premise.Some liked the idea around the workplace satire and the inversion of gender roles, but awkward humour, uneven writing, and confusing messages kept it from landing. Ladies First has five reasons for losing viewers’ interest left and right.The “gender reversal” joke gets old fast View this post on Instagram Instagram PostThe common complaint in most of the reviews is that Ladies First is basically a single joke for 2 hours and 30 minutes. Sacha Baron Cohen’s sexist executive waking up in a matriarchal world where men experience the same objectification women usually face, seems amusing early on, but a lot of critics felt that too much of the film is throwing the same role-reversal jokes over and over without adding more wit or wisdom.Critics think the satire feels painfully outdated View this post on Instagram Instagram PostAdditionally, reviewers noted that while Ladies First does address contemporary feminist issues, the humor is somewhat quaint and uses over-the-top stereotypes, cartoon-like bosses, and nonstop sexist humor rather than social commentary. Multiple critics claimed that the film confused noise for comedy.The talented cast in Ladies First apparently deserved a better script View this post on Instagram Instagram PostBut one of the best things about the movie is definitely the cast. Sacha Baron Cohen, Rosamund Pike, Fiona Shaw, and Charles Dance were all in the mix, and their presence fueled high expectations. But a number of reviews called the actors a waste of time, with Pike frequently singled out as being charismatic but underused.Viewers say the movie can’t decide what it wants to say View this post on Instagram Instagram PostAnother popular complaint on the internet about Ladies First is that the film is not really sure what it wants to say: critique sexism, parody feminism, or simply tell a broad fish-out-of-water comedy. The film starts off strong with an interesting setup, but then again ends up with mixed messages, as pointed out in Reddit posts. Some people thought that they couldn't be more with Cohen than against him, and others thought that it lampoons patriarchy but uses patriarchy to make most of its puns. The outcome is more a satire that is confused rather than provocative.Even fans of the premise expected something smarter View this post on Instagram Instagram PostMany of the strongest criticisms actually came from viewers who initially liked the overall premise of Ladies First. The concept of flipping gender dynamics clearly intrigued people going in, particularly when Cohen was connected with the project. But many seemed to feel the movie didn't really delve into the world that much; it was just a gender switch in the same patterns of sexism. Several Reddit users described it as a potentially clever satire that settles for the most obvious version, causing more aggravation than the movie simply being bad, for viewers.For more such insights, keep following SoapCentral.