Woman of the Hour

**Viscerally disturbing and brilliantly executed. The subtle terror and quiet rage is palpable in almost every scene. I reveled in the final scenes. Definitely a difficult watch, due to content, but worth every second of it.**

“Woman of the Hour,” Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, is the kind of film that hooks you, unsettles you, and sticks with you long after the credits roll. Inspired by the real-life story of Rodney Alcala, the serial killer who shockingly appeared on The Dating Game in 1978, the movie transcends the label of a “true crime thriller” to deliver a chilling analysis of gendered violence, the society that enables it, and the power of perception.

Kendrick, who also stars as Sheryl, the contestant who “picks” Alcala, displays a surprising maturity behind the camera. Her direction is deliberate, uncomfortable, and steers clear of the sensationalism that often plagues true crime stories. By focusing on everyday tensions—the stares, the unwanted touches, the moments when women must “perform” to survive—she crafts a suffocating atmosphere that mirrors real-world experiences of countless women.

Daniel Zovatto’s performance as Alcala is pivotal to the film’s impact. He seamlessly shifts between seductive charm and menacing brutality, embodying the duality that allowed the real-life Alcala to fool so many. Kendrick, meanwhile, keeps the camera trained on him with a relentless gaze, capturing subtle shifts in his expressions that give you a glimpse of the terror his victims must have endured.

Ian McDonald’s screenplay is smartly structured, digging deeper than Alcala’s crimes. It probes how societal norms and seemingly harmless misogyny lay the groundwork for violence. The sequence on The Dating Game set is particularly telling: while Sheryl navigates the casual sexism of the host (Tony Hale, perfectly irritating), the audience laughs and claps along. It’s a microcosm of a culture that marginalizes women while forcing them to play along in games they can never truly control.

Kendrick’s use of silence and ambient sound to build tension is masterful. The violent moments aren’t shown in graphic detail; instead, they’re filmed from a distance or through tight, obscured close-ups, highlighting the emotional reactions of the victims rather than the act itself. This choice not only prevents the film from becoming voyeuristic but also forces the audience to confront the discomfort of witnessing such moments.

The narrative is driven by unspoken exchanges—between victims, bystanders, and complicit onlookers. These glances, like when Sheryl shares a subtle signal with a waitress to stop refilling her drink, or when Amy (Autumn Best, in a visceral performance) desperately tries to catch someone’s attention while trapped in Alcala’s car, convey the unspoken language of survival. Every look carries a deep emotional weight, emphasizing the film’s central theme: what it means to truly be seen in a world that so often denies women that dignity.

Visually, Kendrick recreates a 1970s aesthetic that is not just nostalgic but disturbingly authentic. The color palette, costumes, and lighting transport viewers to an era when women were constantly judged and shaped by the male gaze—a reality that remains all too familiar. The soundtrack, heavy on ambient noise and eerie silence, heightens the sense that something awful is always lurking just beneath the surface.

“Woman of the Hour” stands apart from similar films by refusing to focus on the killer’s psychology or the mystery of his crimes. Instead, Kendrick critiques the society that not only permits but often facilitates such atrocities. Her camera challenges, questions, and defies the expectations of the genre. There’s no glamorization of violence here—only a sharp, incisive examination of how the male gaze can simultaneously allure and destroy.

With “Woman of the Hour,” Anna Kendrick demonstrates an impressive command of cinematic language and a rare sensitivity for telling stories that matter. This isn’t just a movie about a serial killer; it’s a powerful meditation on fear, power, and resilience. Above all, it’s a film that demands to be watched—and understood—with attentive eyes and a willingness to confront uncomfortable truths.

I felt this movie. It is too real to the shit women need to deal with, and how you have to play nice not to get hurt

Better than I thought it would be. Truly shows the shit women have had to deal with too.

Watched Woman of the Hour with Iva in my room. I loved it! The guy flip between the charming and creepy feel was great. I liked the scenes of him charming and killing mixed between the game show girl. Sickening to read the true story stuff afterwards. Connor 10, normal 9. 📸

What could I possibly say about this film that hasnt already been said? Anna Kendrick ACED her directorial debut by depicting the almost universal experience of women when left alone with creepy and/or dangerous men. I was constantly in awe at how she chose to show us the encounters and I loved the choice to focus on the women rather than the killer. It felt like an ode to the victims rather than a study of the perpetrator. I am sick of true crime films that feel more like a sexualizatiom of the killer or a glamorization of the killing itself rather than an honest representation of the tragedy it truly is. Anna does this flawlessly and there were several scenes that captures the horror the victims must have experienced in a way I have never personally witnessed before and am grateful to have experienced. I can see this spanking genuine conversations about the female experience in a way that media usually never successfully accomplishes.

Like falling in love with a woman who opens up about her past: heartbreaking and all too real.

Not only did Anna Kendrick recreate the 70s with such accuracy that it felt like being there, she created feelings with so much reality it's difficult to hear her.

This based-on-a-true story of how not believing women enabled a monster to rape and murder over a hundred women (many of them children) should be dedicated to men who don't understand "not all men but always a man," or why women choose the bear.

Stellar acting, great directorial debut. My stomach was in knots from the beginning until the end, and the very first kill at the very beginning of the movie unlocked a new fear that I hadn't considered until now, luckily.
I disagree with the comments that the time jump made the movie less impactful. If anything, for me, it made it more obvious that he continued his ways for years. It is certainly a rarely seen take on a serial killer: the important part is not the names or circumstances of the victims; this movie does not want to delve into the mind of the killer or the victims, nor does it want to show the acts. For me, it's about the lingering unrest, the eerily portrayed charm and many times, "normalness" or even kindness of the killer, and the seemingly random encounters where one might indeed be in grave danger, even today.
Yes, the Dating Show itself that seemed like the main part of the movie from the ads is less significant than anticipated, but as one of the very particular and frightening encounters that both figuratively and literally shine a light on that a serial killer can be anywhere, even in plain sight, is important.

The difficult part about making movies about true (and very terrible) events is that you have to make them somewhat entertaining when presenting them in a movie. I think that is where this movie shines - while the seriousness of the situation is never out of sight, the decision to tell much of the story through the eyes of the actress gives the movie a lighter feel than it otherwise would have had. Also, Kendrick does a fantastic job at keeping this movie tight. It gets in, tells a dramatic story, and then doesn't over-stay its welcome.

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What is a girl for?

Anna Kendrick's period piece covers a not so cheery story about a serial assaulter and the victims he tortured with his presence.

What is great is the pacing & cinematography that really portrays the mind games and performances that women of that era (and this one too) to get around in a world that is so regularly dominated by the standards of men. While not subtle, it is also just obvious enough for even the most jaded to see the message. But also maybe to just answer the question of how people couldn't see his approach except for the targets.

What is a girl for? Not your pleasure, your free therapy, nor your confidence boost.