The thrilling film, “Woman of the Hour” (2024) premiered on Netflix on Oct. 11 with Anna Kendrick as the director and one of the main characters. The film tells the true story of a 1970s serial killer, played by Daniel Zovatto, who targeted women primarily. The film is rated R and received 91% on Rotten Tomato.
Brief summary
Rodney Alcala was a serial killer who committed crimes all through the 1970’s. He targeted young woman and girls.
According to BBC News, “He was eventually found guilty of eight murders in total, however it’s thought he killed many more women and girls. Alcala died in prison in 2021.”
Spanning over many years, the film exhibits a few murders of Alcala. Before being caught, Alcala went on a dating game show, this serves as the main plot for the film. Anna Kendrick portrays Sheryl Bradshaw, the woman who was the bachelorette on the dating show. She ended up choosing Alcala as the bachelor who won the date in the movie and in real life.
Throughout the movie, several women encounter the killer and slowly realize they are in a great deal of danger. Each victim makes different decisions, trying to get to safety.
It is a teenager that finally gets Alcala arrested at the very end of the movie. After surviving an assault, she tricks Alcala and ends up using a phone at a remote diner to call the police and finally get him arrested after decades of crime.
Analyzing the film
First and foremost, “Woman of the Hour,” is Kendrick’s directing debut; however, the direction in the film was far from amateur. The use of different camera angles exceptionally captured the impending fear audiences felt. Kendrick was able to capture the moment in each victims eyes as they realized that the man they were with was dangerous. The film sent a chill down the spine of any female audience member. The victims always ended up isolated with the killer, left to fend for their lives.
Furthermore, the acting in the movie was spot on. The killer delivered his lines in a frightening way, there was always something off about him. Each female actress had different storylines with the killer, but they all managed to make their fear come to life. Often times they would come to the conclusion that they were unsafe, but still maintain a smile in the attempt to escape their doom.
The design of the film was realistic. Watching the movie feels like being inside a 1970’s time capsule. The colors and mid-century modern furniture went wonderfully with the time period of the movie. The darker lighting used, specifically during the game show added depth and fear. The game show set for the dating game, was perfect, it practically matched the real life set of the game show. Overall, the design elements in the film enhance the viewing for audiences.
A film with a purpose
While the film is terrifying, it also conveys deeper societal messages throughout. The degrading of women during this time period is highlighted. The women in the film are not just torn down by Alcala but also by other men in the movie.
Kendrick, the director of the film and an actor, had a vision in mind when she created the movie. According to an interview conducted by The Rolling Stone, she “wanted the film to shine a spotlight on the misogyny that permeates every part of our culture, allowing men like Alcala to kill women for years without consequence.”
Kendrick donated all the pay she received for the movie to anti-violence charities. Not only did the film bring to light the violent crimes of the past and the danger women face, but it also gave some help for peace.
“It [Woman of the Hour] effectively taps into the true crime genre and it’s really thought-provoking. I like how the film showcases the struggle of woman to enter the entertainment industry. However, there were points where I felt the storyline could have explored certain themes more deeply, particularly around the dynamics of female empowerment and societal expectations,” Jayem Nato, ’28, said.
