First Time Female Director

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First Time Female Director

2023

1h 36m

Comedy

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

33%

Tomatometer

15 Reviews

57%

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

Aspiring writer Sam (Chelsea Peretti) is thrust into the role of director when the Regis Theatre's director is fired. Hand-picked by the theatre's artistic director, Sheldon (Andy Richter), Sam is asked to direct the Regis' upcoming Southern-inspired play, 'Rain's Comin' In.' Sam dives into the opportunity, and hilarity ensues as she struggles to wrangle the eclectic cast--including classic theater kid Rudy (Benito Skinner); over-trained amateur Clara (Kate Berlant); vain, tech-addict Davina (Meg Stalter); theater vet Marjory (Megan Mullally); acting savant Simon (Jak Knight); and Corden (Blake Anderson), whose minor acting credits give him high status in the company. Barely making it through each rehearsal, Sam vents to her eccentric therapist, Meg (Amy Poehler) and even turns to the Regis' arrogant-but-dorky usher, Robbie (Max Greenfield), for drunken comfort. As Sam struggles to understand why she can't seem to nail her production, she tries different tactics to make her play a success. Will she finally hit it big? Or will being a first-time female director lead her to try a totally different career?

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Michael Nordine

Variety

Mar 7, 2024

Feels less like a coming-out party for an actual first-time director and more like a case of opening-night jitters.

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Valerie Complex

Deadline Hollywood Daily

Jun 22, 2023

Although it may stumble under its ambitions, it provides a messy, challenging, insightful, painfully humorous examination of women in entertainment.

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Jason Bailey

The Playlist

Jun 17, 2023

D+

"First Time Female Director” is a tremendous disappointment because Peretti is such a gifted performer.

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David Bax

Battleship Pretension

Feb 5, 2026

Directing may be new to Peretti but First Time Female Director feels anything but new.

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Tina Kakadelis

Film Obsessive

Mar 17, 2024

There’s so much passion at play here, but it isn’t able to hit a clear homerun.

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Stephen Silver

Splice Today

Mar 14, 2024

2/5

While there are scattered laughs here or there, it’s never as funny as the premise and the presence of all those hilarious people

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Rachael L

@RT56482832 Nov 29, 2025

It’s genuinely funny but maybe you’re not smart enough to get it so maybe you’ll leave a worse review. Best movie I’ve seen in a long time.

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Rachel K

@RT32929279 Mar 10, 2024

Soooooo baddddd This movie is absolutely terrible. Cast looked good but DO NOT WATCH Straight up awful

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Mar 9, 2024

Off the wall entertainment!

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Mike L

@RT17066096 Mar 8, 2024

It felt like this film was cast just for me because.. *look* at all of these comedic icons in one film. Casting person ate and left zero crumbs. These kinds of stacked casts are far and few between so I've been nearly foaming at the mouth in anticipation for this to release. I'm on board with the premise, the tone, there's some truly funny one-offs in the dialogue, but this really was a first-time directed film. Chelsea is so so funny and I'm grateful that she brought these comedians together and I hope to see more like this from her (especially her casting choices) but the execution on this first one smells like earring backs, I fear.. I would love more of this, and I would love for it to be better. Chelsea is a master of comedy so if her filmmaking enhances, we'll reallllllly get something impactful to the culture, I feel it.

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Chelsea Peretti

Director

Chelsea Peretti

Sam

Andy Richter

Sheldon

Amy Poehler

Meg

Kate Berlant

Actor

Benny Drama

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Synopsis

Aspiring writer Sam (Chelsea Peretti) is thrust into the role of director when the Regis Theatre's director is fired. Hand-picked by the theatre's artistic director, Sheldon (Andy Richter), Sam is asked to direct the Regis' upcoming Southern-inspired play, 'Rain's Comin' In.' Sam dives into the opportunity, and hilarity ensues as she struggles to wrangle the eclectic cast--including classic theater kid Rudy (Benito Skinner); over-trained amateur Clara (Kate Berlant); vain, tech-addict Davina (Meg Stalter); theater vet Marjory (Megan Mullally); acting savant Simon (Jak Knight); and Corden (Blake Anderson), whose minor acting credits give him high status in the company. Barely making it through each rehearsal, Sam vents to her eccentric therapist, Meg (Amy Poehler) and even turns to the Regis' arrogant-but-dorky usher, Robbie (Max Greenfield), for drunken comfort. As Sam struggles to understand why she can't seem to nail her production, she tries different tactics to make her play a success. Will she finally hit it big? Or will being a first-time female director lead her to try a totally different career?

Director: Chelsea Peretti
Producer: Amy Poehler, Deanna Barillari, Chelsea Peretti, Kate Arend, Jordan Grief
Screenwriter: Chelsea Peretti
Distributor: The Roku Channel
Production Co: MarVista Entertainment, FOX Entertainment, Paper Kite Productions
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 8, 2024
Runtime: 1h 36m

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