WOMAN OF THE HOUR (2023)

Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut Woman of the Hour depicts the shocking moment a notorious serial killer appeared as a competing bachelor on The Dating Game. The film uses this one specific moment in true crime history to explore misogyny towards women and the whole culture of heterosexual dating.

Cheryl Bradshaw (Kendrick) is a Columbia grad and aspiring actress who is struggling to find her big break in the industry. We first meet her at an audition, berated for not smiling and for refusing to do nude scenes. Out of options, she reluctantly agrees to appear on The Dating Game (the US equivalent to Blind Date) to help boost her profile.

Also appearing on the episode is Rodney Alcala (David Zovatto), a man already introduced to audiences as a killer. Based on an insane true story, Alcala appeared on the iconic dating show in 1978, in the middle of his horrific crime spree. Even more concerning, he’s the bachelor who comes across as the most likeable and most datable. Compared to the empty-headed number one, he’s smart and well-read; compared to the second option, a chauvinistic playboy, he seems sensitive and caring. It’s a damning portrayal of the dating pool for women.

The film intercuts Cheryl’s appearance on the 1970s dating show with the lead-up to Alcala’s crimes. Always told through the eyes of his victims rather than of the killer, these scenes never glorify his kills nor do they rely on cheap thrills. Alcala grabs the attention of young men and women through his photography, using his charm and camera to lure them to their deaths.

Taking place between 1971-79, the film confusingly jumps between different periods of Alcala’s life and crimes. With no clear markers, it can be tricky to remember when the scene took place and at what point we are watching Alcala.

Woman of the Hour is less about Alcala and his crimes and is more concerned with the open misogyny plaguing ’70s America. Cheryl’s neighbour Terry (Pete Holmes) is supportive of her career yet it comes across as insincere because he so badly wants to take her to bed. The host of The Dating Game (an underused Tony Hale) tells Cheryl to smile and play nice, holding back her natural wit. The film showcases that Alcala could operate freely and lure in victims because he comes across as sweet and thoughtful in a world of horndogs who show little to no respect for women.

David Zovatto plays Alcala as a thoughtful man of words, something that appeals to the women he specifically picks out. He studied film at UCLA and can name-drop independent films and plays; he reads literature and quotes the greats with thoughtful ease. Occasionally, the hint of the monster within pops out, hints of anger flashing behind his eyes. Woman of the Hour smartly depicts how Alcala got away with it time and time again, the writing never shaming his victims for letting him into their lives and homes.

Woman of the Hour fails to go under the surface of the people involved. Cheryl, about whom little is known in real life, feels like a template of a failing actress living in Los Angeles. The movie fails to get under Alcala’s skin and audiences never learn who he is, just how he portrays himself around his victims. The victims themselves, although sensitively portrayed, are all underwritten to the point they all blend into one young woman. The movie would have succeeded better if the writing stopped to flesh out the characters and allowed audiences to sit with them a little longer. Darting between timelines builds a wall between the audience and the storytelling.

The movie effortlessly reconstructs the era, not just through the clothing, music, and cars. Kendrick recreates the naivety of a generation where women asked strange men for help and hitchhiked. Although terrifying, 21st-century women will see a lot of their own lives and dating struggles in the story. To this day, women are fighting for justice and are penalised for speaking up about abuse at the hands of men.

The most impactful moment in Woman of the Hour is the ending where the postscript expands on the full story. The true horror of Alcala is a footnote in the closing scenes of the film, but Anna Kendrick and screenwriter Ian McDonald struggle to balance depicting a true crime tale without sensationalising it. There’s nothing wrong with gently retelling a true crime and honouring the victims, but Kendrick is a little too careful.

USA | 2024 | 94 MINUTES | 2.35:1 | COLOUR | ENGLISH

Cast & Crew

director: Anna Kendrick.
writer: Ian McDonald.
starring: Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Nicolette Robinson, Pete Holmes & Tony Hale.