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Woman of the Hour (2024) is a Netflix film released globally on October 18 this year after premiering at film festivals during 2023. The true crime-based film is actress Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, and it explores the stories of the victims of American serial killer Rodney Alcala.
The film delves into Alcala's appearance on the reality TV show The Dating Game in 1978, where he won a date with bachelorette Cheryl Bradshaw. While the story focuses on Alcala and his killings, it also takes its lens to view snippets of the lives of the women who became his victims.
Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for Woman of the Hour. Any opinion expressed here solely belongs to the author.
What is the story of Woman of the Hour? Is it a film worth watching?
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Woman of the Hour is based on the real-life story of Rodney Alcala, a known murderer and s*x offender who was convicted and later incarcerated for his crimes. The film uses his appearance on national television as the anchor point for the story, showing how he found one of his potential victims on The Dating Game.
This article will explore the different elements of the film that stood out. These are meant to highlight which aspects of the film worked well, making Woman of the Hour an interesting watch.
Plot and storyline summary
The film begins with an introduction to Rodney Alcala, who pretends to be a fashion photographer to isolate and attack his unsuspecting victims. Rodney's many attacks are intercut with the story of Cheryl Bradshaw, a struggling actress in Los Angeles.
Her agent books her a role on The Dating Game, hoping that a reality television appearance might help her get more roles. Cheryl feels uneasy about the job because she is asked to smile, laugh, and simper as she asks prospective bachelors questions to prove whether they might make a good match.
She ends up taking the advice of her makeup team and asking the men her own intellectual questions, making them fumble. Among the three bachelors, bachelor number 3 gives the most eloquent answers. Little does Cheryl know that he is Rodney Alcala, a serial killer. The show's production team failed to conduct a background check on him, resulting in his appearance.
Even though she chooses him as the winner, Cheryl feels uncomfortable around Rodney. After she narrowly escapes his attack in the empty studio parking lot, Cheryl quits acting altogether and decides to move away.
Later, Rodney isolates and molests a runaway girl named Amy. She begs him to keep their encounter a secret, avoiding a worse fate for the time. Amy manages to get away from Rodney and notify the authorities, which results in him finally being arrested.
Acting and direction
Woman of the Hour features Anna Kendrick as the director and the protagonist, Cheryl Bradshaw. Kendrick brings a witty and intelligent personality to her character, asking the right questions when she is allowed to. Her delivery of the dialogue "I felt looked at" was one of great resonance and emotion.
Other actors, such as Daniel Zovatto, Nicolette Robinson, and Tony Hale, also did justice to their roles. However, one of the most heart-wrenching performances was that of actress Autumn Best, who played Amy in the film.
Best embodied Amy's trauma even as the character tried to navigate her way around Rodney and survive. Amy's reaction to Rodney's arrest, right in front of her, was a haunting one worth remembering. It is also worth noting that it was Anna Kendrick's directorial lens that focused on the stories of multiple victims of Alcala's crimes instead of keeping the plot focused solely on one storyline.
Emotional impact
More than just a serial killer crime story, Woman of the Hour delved into the lives of the women who endured the crime. The film explored the vulnerability or even the genuine openness that led Rodney Alcala towards his victims, the qualities that ended up working against them.
The film also explored the lasting impact of the encounters on the women who managed to escape Alcala. The trauma of their respective incidents was enough to scar their lives.
Laura, who lost her friend to Alcala, also lost her belief in the justice system that failed to address her concerns in time. Amy underwent s*xual assault and yet had to play to her perpetrator's sensibilities until she could get to a safe place. Cheryl quit acting altogether and decided to start a private life back home
The film focuses on the deeply disturbing nature of Alcala's killings but also reflects the deep-seated fear and mistrust most women end up having at the end of the day. Overall, Woman of the Hour tells an important story but is certainly a heavy and thought-provoking watch.
Audiences can now watch Woman of the Hour streaming online via Netflix.
