Woman of the Hour (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – Rodney Alcala was a killer in the midst of a killing spree when he brazenly took part in, and won a date on, the popular TV game show “The Dating Game.”

My Take – Though her supporting role in The Twilight Saga is often considered the breakthrough one, moviegoers can agree that Anna Kendrick’s real display of talent came in the Academy Award nominated role of the comedy-drama film Up in the Air (2009) and the joyful a cappella Pitch Perfect film series.

With recent years even further showcasing her range as a dramatic performer in projects like A Simple Favor (2018), and Alice, Darling (2022).

Surprisingly, for her directorial debut she helms a stranger-than-fiction true crime story that is both subtle and creepy in a good way as it explores the story of American serial killer Rodney Alcala, who in 1978 appeared on the television show ‘The Dating Game’ in the midst of his murder spree.

Written by Ian MacAllister McDonald, the resulting film is indeed unflinching and utterly fascinating as it respectfully covers its subject matter free of feeling exploitative. But as a director Kendrick’s best achievement is in its capturing from a woman’s point of view, providing us a preview of how hard it can be to pick a serial killer out of an all-male line-up.

Set in the late 70s, the story mostly follows Cheryl Bradshaw (Anna Kendrick), an aspiring actress who moved out to LA in order to live out her dream. But while she has the schooling, the ambition, and the work ethic, things are just not going according to her plan. Finding herself in a struggle to even afford her rent, Cheryl begins questioning her choices and her future.

That is until, her agent convinces her to appear on The Dating Game, a cheesy reality show, as it might get her seen by the right kind of people. Unknown to her, one of the contestants on the show is charming serial killer Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto). Alcala who posing as a photographer, approached women, and got them to consent to a photo shoot, before killing them.

Out of many of his escapades one of them lead to Amy (Autumn Best), a runaway teenager and one brushed past Laura (Nicolette Robinson), a young woman who recognizes Alcala on the “The Dating Game” and believes him to be the one who raped and killed her best friend, but has difficulty getting authorities to pursue the case.

Rather than adopting a straightforward re-telling of a psychopath’s tales from the 1970’s, the film adds layers by reminding us of what women faced in that era – from subtle lack of value to outright abuse and constant concern for their safety. Even Cheryl’s interactions with her neighbor Terry (Pete Holmes) displays challenges faced in ordinary settings.

At first, the time jumps and multiple storylines feel distracting and arbitrary. But by the end, it’s clear that director Kendrick is using these parallel experiences and characters to build a picture of a society in which ambient misogyny makes it essentially impossible to identify a threat like Alcala.

The warning signs he gives off aren’t so different from the warning signs all men give off, which is why the authorities reliably take his side against the women who they refuse to believe. The 1979 San Gabriel segment with the runaway Amy is both true and chilling, and yet further proof of how much leeway an educated white guy like Alcala could get away with, despite been previously questioned by police in 1977.

Here, director Kendrick weaves a tense film, the scenes of Rodney murdering women are brutal and upsetting, and Kendrick’s direction doesn’t shy away from ramping up the tension in a visceral way, forcing us to feel completely unsafe up until the horrible acts are committed.

Thankfully, despite such heavy subject matter, the film also manages to find opportunities for humor and catharsis especially during the scenes on The Dating Game where Bradshaw has frank and candid discussions with the make-up Department and also gets to effortlessly upstage smug game show host Ed Burke (Tony Hale) on his own show.

Yes, the film could have been more suspenseful if it could have stayed in one timeline and teased all of the drama out of the game taping. But in unmasking Alcala from the start, the narrative becomes more about the horrors of a killer who thrived out in the open, even on national television. We watch in dread at just how easily he blends in next to the other contestants, and even happens to be the most appealing of the lot.

Performances wise, Anna Kendrick is once again strongly likable, portraying her character as someone with drive and humor who wants to get her foot in the door but will also maintain her self-respect. Daniel Zovatto is chillingly good as he walks the unnerving fine line of being charming and someone who is able to conceal his dark side.

In supporting, Nicolette Robinson and Tony Hale do justice to their roles, so do Kelley Jakle and Kathryn Gallagher in their smaller ones. However, Autumn Best is the true star of the show, delivering one of the most heart-wrenching turns of the year. On the whole, ‘Woman of the Hour’ is an impressive directorial debut from Anna Kendrick that manages to be unflinching and utterly fascinating throughout.