Woman Of the Hour

2024   Netflix

Rated:  Unrated

Length:  1 hr  35 min

Crime ~ Drama ~ Thriller

Directed by:  Anna Kendrick

Starring:  Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Tony Hale, and Autumn Best.

“Bachelor number three, I’m counting on you. What are girls for?”

Anna Kendrick stars as Cheryl Bradshaw, an aspiring actress from Pennsylvania, who relocated to Los Angeles.  Desperate for work and not having any luck, her agent books her on “The Dating Game” TV show. Among the three male contestants is Serial Rapist-Murderer Rodney Alcala played by Daniel Zovatto. I just can’t talk too much more about the plot of the movie without giving any spoilers, so I will give you more background on the movie and the real life story.

Woman Of The Hour is based on the true life story of Cheryl Bradshaw’s account of being on the episode and meeting Rodney Alcala. It focuses more on that story than the life and deeds of the convicted serial killer Rodney Alcala. At the time he appeared on The Dating Game September 13, 1978 he was wanted for the rape and murder of several women and the rape and attempted murder of an 8 year old girl. He was also employed at The Los Angeles Times and was interviewed by the Los Angeles police as part of their Hillside Strangler investigation.

Rodney Alcala hid behind the façade of being a photographer. Always carrying a camera around his neck and pretending to be interested in photographing his victims as a ploy to get them to remote spots. Charming and personable be the devil that lurked behind the camera, peering at his victims through the lens. Quietly watching and capturing their last moments of freedom before he unleashed his unsuspected savage terror. He would beat and strangle his victims to the point of unconsciousness, then bring them back to life so he could rape and abuse them. Mercilessly over and over again until they died.

It reminds me of Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, the true life depiction of serial killer Ted Bundy. Another ruthless savage who hid behind the façade of his charm and good looks, using them to lure his victims into a false sense of trust before he brutally raped and murdered them. Woman Of The Hour does depict some of the most famous Rodney Alcala cases to give you a better sense of the suspenseful Game Show appearance. One of the other male guests is quoted as saying that Rodney gave him the heebie-jeebies, something very unnatural about his presence made him want to get as far away from Rodney as possible.

Like Ted Bundy, Rodney Alcala evaded capture by running and hiding, assuming a new identity wherever he went. Always leaving the state they perpetrated their crimes in for new territory and an untapped victim pool. Bundy wore a cast and pretended to be helpless as he asked victims to assist him, Alcala always wore the camera around his neck and pretended to be taking photographs as he hunted for his next victim. He had over a thousand photographs he had collected that the police found when he was finally captured. It is believed that he potentially raped and murdered hundreds of women.

This movie marks Anna Kendrick’s Directorial debut. Nice job, I say. It is a great depiction of how the devil hides in plain site waiting to pounce on his next unassuming victim. I think she did a great job with the story, the movie and her role as Cheryl Bradshaw. Daniel Zovatto also did a great job portraying the many sides of Rodney Alcala, going from personable and charming, to a horrific murdering animal in the blink of an eye. Autumn Best also did a great job of portraying the victim Amy (The real life case of Monique Hoyt) who managed to trick Rodney into letting her live and escaping while they stopped at a gas station. She alerted the authorities and he was apprehended at the gas station.

So, that’s a big thumbs down on serial killers and rapists and………..

Two Thumbs up for Woman Of The Hour, Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto and Autumn Best!