- Title: Woman of the Hour
- IMDb: link
Based on real events, Anna Kendrick‘s directorial debut splits its focus between serial killer Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto) and struggling actress Cheryl Bradshaw (Kendrick) whose lives intersect as contestants on The Dating Game. I like all the pieces here, as the script by Ian McDonald explores 70s misogyny across both stories as Bradshaw makes compromises to further her career and McDonald targets young woman to add to his list of victims. My only complaint with the film is how it is put together.
While jumping between the two storylines allows themes to be reinforced, it undercuts the reveal of Acala too early and also creates some minor tonal issues throughout. Had the film centered on Bradshaw until the dating game, waiting to reveal the truth at the most pivotal moment, I think the structure and impact of the reveal would have more effective (especially as the ending we’re left here seems a bit muddy and anticlimactic). Also, because the appearance on The Dating Game apparently had no impact on the killer’s eventual capture it feels like the film is overemphasizing a coincidence rather than highlighting a connection.
However, even with these nagging complaints, Woman of the Hour is an easy recommendation. The role of the smart and sassy Cheryl seems tailor-made for Kendrick while Zovatto exudes a surface-level charm with something much darker under the surface. Two other roles of note are Nicolette Robinson, as a friend of one of Alcala’s victims (who steals a scene when she recognizes the killer) who fails to get anyone to take her seriously, and Autumn Best as Acala’s final victim whose escape, and not his appearance on The Dating Game, leads to his capture.
Watch the trailer
