Woman of the Hour Review: A Clever True Crime Romance
Woman of the Hour Review: A Clever True Crime Romance
Streaming Movie Review - True Crime - Netflix
Netflix has had a number of successful shows in both the true crime genre and the dating show genre. Now, the two are coming together in Woman of the Hour, directed by and starring Anna Kendrick and releasing on Netflix next week. This movie takes a look at Rodney Alcala, the Dating Game Killer, so named because of his appearance on the popular show while in the midst of one of his killing sprees.
When Cheryl Bradshaw (Anna Kendrick) finds herself struggling to land any acting jobs, her agent suggests that she book an appearance on The Dating Game as an opportunity to get in front of more eyes. Cheryl agrees, though when she meets host Ed Burke (Tony Hale) and finds herself in a dress she didn’t choose with questions that she didn’t write, she questions that decision.
One of the bachelors on the show is Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto). He answers all of Cheryl’s questions in a way that appeals to her, but under his affable countenance, he is concealing a darkness.
Kendrick, along with screenwriter Ian McDonald, does an excellent job of showcasing the sexism and infantilization that women faced in the 1970s. From constant pressure to show off more of Cheryl's body to an audience member (Nicolette Robinson) recognizing Rodney and being summarily ignored and ridiculed, we see women demeaned and belittled over and over.
Kendrick does a great job of creating tension in a number of scenes. She uses space and sound to great effect in some scenes that really allow the viewer to feel the fear of the character on screen. And she generally does it in a way that avoids a cheap jump scare but rather something that builds dread.
Woman of the Hour boasts some stellar performances. Zovatto strikes the perfect tone of someone that you can trust while also managing to showcase a sinister side that makes you immediately doubt that trust. Robinson does an admirable job showing a panic attack brought on by past trauma. And Kendrick, this time in front of the camera, plays a character who vacillates between confidence and uncertainty, and that works brilliantly.
The film does have some structural issues. There are aspects of Rodney’s life that are intercut with the Dating Game scenes, and those occasionally make the storytelling a little messy. The admirable desire to avoid lingering on the violence that was inflicted on the women that Alcala murdered is understandable, but unfortunately, some of the decisions can make it hard to know where we are in the timeline.
Despite some flaws, Woman of the Hour is a compelling watch. The performances and the direction pull you into the story, and once you’re in, it’s hard to want to leave. Fortunately, unlike many of Alcala’s victims, at the end of our hour and a bit, we get to walk away.
This review originally appeared in The Dominion Post on October 12, 2024.