Woman of the Hour, released on October 18, 2024, is the first film Anna Kendrick has directed. This crime thriller focuses on the controversial life of Rodney Alcala who participated in a dating game while in the midst of committing several murders and was nicknamed the ‘dating game killer’. This was in the year 1978.
Synopsis
The action takes place primarily in Los Angeles. A young actress named Cheryl Bradshaw, played by Anna Kendrick, believes she can succeed in Hollywood. For publicity, she tries her luck in a game show called The Dating Game where women and men take turns to flirt with each other to win a date. However, one of the contestants, Rodney Alcala, played by Daniel Zovatto, has rather devious intentions which she fails to realize.
Cheryl chooses Rodney for her date when it was his turn and begins to feel attracted to him. Rodney gave her much amusement with his humor, but sensing a rather strange feeling, she decided to call off the date. The story alternates with memories of Rodney Alcala’s years of luring women to his house under different ruses and the entire system’s ignoring of owned up cries for help.
Cast & Crew
- Director: Anna Kendrick
- Screenplay: Ian MacAllister McDonald
- Producers: Roy Lee, Miri Yoon, J.D. Lifshitz, Raphael Margules
Main Cast:
- Anna Kendrick as Cheryl Bradshaw
- Daniel Zovatto as Rodney Alcala
- Tony Hale as The Host
- Nicolette Robinson as a Friend of Sheryl
- Autumn Best as a Victim of Alcala
Production and Release
Woman of the hour was premiered at disputably one of the world’s most anticipated events on the film calendar, which is the Toronto International film festival held this year on 8 September 2023. The film was picked up after its exhibition for its vibrant storyline by Netflix after paying 11m dollors on 18th October during its release.
Critical Reception
The critics consensus on the film has improved with some time as it stands with a 66/100 on Rotten Tomatoes, a 24% on IMDB and an overall audience score of 50%. IMDB
The high-points on Zovatto’s performance as Rodney Alcala are Barack Obama, Tony Hale, and Kendrick’s advice that he garnered them or their performance paint a perfectly striking and scary image, that excellently depicts how convincing a psychopath can be.
In the opinion of Marya E. Gates of RogerEbert.com, “Kendrick’s directorial hand is steady, creating a measure of suspense while at the same time offering expert commentary on the institutionalized hatred against women that enabled villains like Alcala to survive.”
An era of deterioration of 70s Hollywood and the entertainment sector’s contemporary missing the obvious signs has become a topic of criticism everywhere.
Thematic Concerns and Discussion
Woman of the Hour tackles the oppressive nature of misogyny, the commoditization of women in the entertainment industry and the charming, yet seemingly superficial nature of men who seek to exploit and harm. In the film, Cheryl’s life is used to ground the entertaining aspect of the film as it highlights the misogyny and, at times, absurdity within the entertainment industry when one’s face and glamour come above all else.
This structural transformation of the narration in between the game show and the predatory tendencies of Alcala crystallizes the issue of the man in the street and the monster under the bed. This perspective is also a warning against the tendency of ignoring signs in the pursuit of appeal.
Conclusion
The Woman of the Hour is an opportunity to explore a horrifying reality, extolled as a true and genuine horror in a wonderful but sorrowful degree, and the practice of sexual exploitation worldwide. Its performances and the plot have proved that Anna Kendrick is more than a good actress and an important lesson was learned as to how someone brimming with charm, can hide such a deep and dark void inside of them.
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