This post contains mentions of sexual assault, murder, and Rodney Alcala’s real-life violent crimes.
Warning: This list contains spoilers for Woman of the Hour.
Anna Kendrick is seeing glowing reviews for her directorial debut, the harrowing Netflix original Woman of the Hour. Based on true events, the new thriller depicts a serial killer who ends up on a dating TV show, with Kendrick herself starring as the struggling actress who turns to this show as a last-ditch attempt to get her career off the ground. While Woman of the Hour makes some changes to the true story, Kendrick has undeniably pulled off an impressive feat of storytelling, reaching 92% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Woman of the Hour shows the frightening realities of life everywhere for women in the 1970s, with lingering implications for the present day. Additionally, Woman of the Hour addresses The Dating Game‘s vetting problem, which led to serial killer Rodney Alcala appearing on the show when he already had a criminal history, just one example of people’s general passivity that allowed him to remain free for so long. Kendrick has impressed many critics with her ability to transcend genre and the capacity of her role in the film’s production, evidenced by Woman of the Hour‘s reviews.
8 Woman Of The Hour Is A Fresh Take On The Genre
Kendrick Takes Her Career In A New Direction & Revitalizes The Crime Genre
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In both its narrative structure and its style, meshing the 1970s setting with subtle horror trappings, Woman of the Hour is a new take on the crime genre. Crime has seen several noteworthy contributions in recent years, and Woman of the Hour is competing with other, similar titles within a narrow release window. Both a surprise given Kendrick’s characteristic genre and on-screen role as well as the most recent trends in crime movies and TV shows, Woman of the Hour is being praised for inventiveness.
Related Woman Of The Hour Cast & Real-Life Character Guide
Apart from walking through some real-life crimes of Rodney Alcala, Woman of the Hour also uses its character beats to explore deeper underlying themes
Katie Doll’s CBR review is flatteringly titled: “Anna Kendrick’s Directorial Debut Avoids the True Crime Slump.” Meanwhile, Ross Bainame stated (via Collider) that Kendrick’s “ability to explore multiple genres—many of which seem surprising for the actress—build tension through her skilled direction,” while Matt Mahler concluded (via MovieWeb) that “Woman of the Hour is a fresh and gripping take on the well-trodden true crime territory of serial killers.” Reviewers are delving into which aspects of the movie they loved best, but generally, being called original is a big accomplishment when audiences are immersed in narrative tropes from having access to a huge amount of media.
7 Anna Kendrick Proves She Can Direct & Act In Woman Of The Hour
Kendrick Nails It The First Time She Is Directing & Acting In A Movie
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Great performances where actors directed themselves are rare, and Kendrick jumps right into this double act. Reviewers haven’t failed to note Kendrick’s performance in Woman of the Hour going hand in hand with her direction, an impressive feat under any circumstances, let alone doing it for the first time. Kendrick also took over the project from Chloe Okuno during development, who was originally intended to direct with Kendrick still starring (via Deadline).
Portraying real-life actress Cheryl Bradshaw, notes of Kendrick’s old personages come through, but she adapts to the tension of the narrative, showing Sheryl’s discomfort while trying to get through a bad job. Roger Ebert described what she does as “a typically intelligent and spunky performance,” perhaps the best way to characterize most of Kendrick’s roles. However, the plot and themes demand more from Kendrick, and she rises to the occasion. According to Collider: “Just as great as [Daniel] Zovatto is Kendrick, […] she personifies so many of the fears and worries women have on a daily basis.”
6 Woman Of The Hour’s Killer Is Terrifying
Zovatto Is Also A Driving Force Behind Woman Of The Hour, Portraying The Danger
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While Kendrick shines as the star, also vital to a murder drama is the killer, and most critics mention Daniel Zovatto’s performance as the “Dating Game Killer” Rodney Alcala. In reality, the serial rapist and killer’s actions and methods are fairly accurate to what is depicted in the movie, and he was arrested but escaped long-term conviction before appearing on The Dating Game. Zovatto’s performance is suitably harrowing and unfeeling, with the actor doing a commendable job of playing a monstrous character in a story that is ultimately not about him.
Praise of Zovatto’s portrayal includes Collider‘s report that he is “excellent at switching between potential ‘nice guy,’ monstrous threat, and back again,” and CBR‘s statement: “Zovatto takes his experience in the horror genre and heightens it by 100 to play Alcala.” Woman of the Hour is about real fear, and it needs a great actor to play the biggest threat to the main character. While the movie is not solely about his crimes but the broader mistreatment of women in this period, with other actors playing supporting characters to back Zovatto up, he is doubtlessly the backbone of this part of the movie.
5 Woman Of The Hour Has Great Supporting Actors
Nicolette Robinson & Autumn Best Also Both Give Strong Performances In Woman Of The Hour
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The headliner for Woman of the Hour‘s supporting cast is Tony Hale — or at least he was so going into the movie. Hale appears sparingly and is disturbingly blasé and passively misogynistic as the host of The Dating Game, therefore also a key component in the story as the embodiment of Hollywood’s attitudes. However, while he gives a good performance, he is decidedly upstaged by Nicolette Robinson and Autumn Best, the former playing a member of The Dating Game‘s audience and the latter one of Rodney Alcala’s victims.
Robinson’s Laura insists that she has seen the man onstage before, the night before her friend was murdered, and tries to warn someone but is dismissed by everyone. According to MovieWeb: “Robinson gives a performance of pure frustration […] a great reflection of the film’s simmering fury.” Concerning the other actress, CBR said: “Best brings a freewheeling vibe to an innocent Amy that makes her more than a victim in Alcala’s story.” Other gut-wrenching and unsettling performances by the actors playing the victims and complicit bystanders alike make Woman of the Hour a collage of the toxic circumstances surrounding these events.
4 Woman Of The Hour Perfects Its Commentary
Woman Of The Hour Viscerally Illustrates The Dangers Faced By The Female Characters
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Woman of the Hour is perfect in terms of there being an obvious answer to the question: “Why make this movie?” Not only does it detail Rodney Alcala’s crimes — the way it also obscures parts of the assault and murder scenes making them more haunting — it viscerally, uncomfortably illustrates the environment that allowed him to get away with it for some time. When the movie starts, Sheryl has been dealing with being treated like an object in Hollywood for years. Laura goes to her boyfriend, tries to get a meeting with the show’s producer, and talks to the police, but no one believes her.
Related Woman Of The Hour Fact Check: Did Rodney Alcala Really Have 130 Victims?
Woman of the Hour’s epilogue reveals Rodney Alcala had close to 130 victims, making it hard not to wonder if the real number was actually that high.
As aptly described by MovieWeb:
“That’s the angry question at the heart of Woman of the Hour, which is cleverly directed by Kendrick to detail the cruel indifference or abject cowardice of people (and the courage of some). She has a very subtle touch, lingering for just a moment, for example, on the way uninvited men invade women’s spaces (a hand on the hip, a touch of their hair). She captures the tiny ways that people avoid responsibility.”
Other reviewers poignantly put words to what Woman of the Hour is doing with dozens of small moments and seemingly innocuous subplots, “[showing] how petrifying it can be to disappoint a man” (Collider). As Woman of the Hour horribly builds its way up to its unexpected conclusion, it accomplishes its goal of being “about how society normalizes violence against women through seemingly innocuous sexism and misogyny, which ultimately paves the way for escalated violence” (Roger Ebert).
3 The Sequence Of Events In Woman Of The Hour Effectively Builds Tension
Woman Of The Hour Follows A Non-Linear Narrative, Which Works Perfectly
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Kendrick and screenwriter Ian McDonald also deliver on the non-linear narrative of Woman of the Hour, which makes the movie an all the more terrifying experience. As said in Collider, “Kendrick is great at building the tension as we flash back and forth through time to see the crimes of Alcala,” allowing the movie to cover years of murders. Woman of the Hour begins with one deeply disturbing murder scene before switching over to Sheryl’s story. Other out-of-time scenes are scattered throughout, interrupting the so-called main story, with clear subtitles indicating that they are happening years apart.
This is all in service of the audience knowing who Rodney is when he is revealed to be a contestant on The Dating Game, his presence always affected by the horrors of what he has done. Even after this reveal, Woman of the Hour carries on with its intermittent flashbacks, creating more dread, especially when the younger victim, Amy, is the last one seen. It’s a deceptively simple setup for this movie, but most critics agree that it is very effective.
2 Woman Of The Hour Emphasizes The Victims’ Experiences
Woman Of The Hour Puts The Focus On Sheryl, Laura, & Amy
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CBR argued that Woman of the Hour “gives the victims a voice by putting the women in the spotlight,” while Ebert noted: “Kendrick holds [the camera] on his [Rodney’s] face, allowing the shift to happen before our eyes, placing us directly in the psyche of his victims.” Woman of the Hour is ultimately about the women who were abused and killed. Best’s performance as Amy has been highlighted for making a victim, just one of many, a fully developed character. Every sequence that veers away from Sheryl’s storyline shows something about the lives of the women who were killed, and how they found themselves alone with Rodney.
The title of the movie may initially seem strangely chosen, but it highlights the uncomfortable feeling of being looked at, which Sheryl and Rodney discuss after the show. Sheryl never wanted to be in this kind of spotlight when The Dating Game is a tacky, blatantly sexist program; she is also trying to find a way to tell Rodney she doesn’t actually date. This focus on the victims in particular is what is allowing Woman of the Hour to stand out, telling a much more impactful story.
1 Woman Of The Hour’s Ending Does Not Fail The Rest Of The Movie
Woman Of The Hour Ends On A Bleak But Decisive Note
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Woman of the Hour finds itself in a difficult position as it nears its ending, having to meet the tension the movie has created while dealing with the fact that it is a dramatization of real events. The real Cheryl Bradshaw didn’t talk to Rodney Alcala after the show and rejected his invitation to go on a date, so as far as the movie is concerned, Sheryl is going to survive the encounter. However, Woman of the Hour demonstrates a complex ending through multiple narrative elements coming together.
Related Woman Of The Hour Ending Explained: What Happened To Rodney Alcala
Woman of the Hour’s walks through the events that eventually led to Rodney Alcala’s 1979 arrest but also discloses that his crimes did not end there.
Namely, Sheryl’s uncomfortable date with Rodney and close escape happen alongside his scenes with Amy, with hints at his past being presented but ultimately not being that important compared to what the women are going through. Woman of the Hour doesn’t have a narratively conventional ending, with Rodney walking away as well as Sheryl. Yet Kendrick and her team once again use different movie tricks and well-written dialogue to complete the story, which confirms that Alcala was eventually brought to justice but highlights the environment that allowed him to operate freely one last time.
Source: CBR, Collider, MovieWeb, Deadline, Roger Ebert
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6.2/10 Woman of the Hour CrimeDramaMysteryThriller
Woman of the Hour is a biographical thriller directed by Anna Kendrick, who also stars in the film. The movie chronicles the infamous real-life story of Cheryl Bradshaw’s appearance on the 1978 edition of The Dating Game, where one of the contestants, Rodney Alcala, would later be revealed as a notorious serial killer. The film delves into the chilling intersection of entertainment and true crime.
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*Availability in US Director Anna Kendrick Release Date September 26, 2023 Studio(s) AGC Studios , Vertigo Entertainment , BoulderLight Pictures Distributor(s) Netflix Writers Ian MacAllister McDonald Cast Anna Kendrick , Daniel Zovatto , Autumn Best , Andy Thompson , David Beairsto , Tighe Gill , Bonnie Hay , Thomas Strumpski , Nicolette Robinson , Kathryn Gallagher , Kelley Jakle , Tony Hale Character(s) Cheryl Bradshaw , Rodney Alcala , Amy , Bob , Rodney’s Boss , Bachelor , Bartender , Laundromat Owner Runtime 94 Minutes Expand