Woman of the Hour review

This review contains spoilers about the film ‘Woman of the Hour.’ Some content may be disturbing and include themes of violence and crime. Reader discretion is advised

Mia Smith, Staff Writer | 

The Netflix premiere of Woman of the Hour has just arrived, so true crime fans, get ready because I was completely blown away with Anna Kendrick’s 2023 directorial debut.

The movie sheds much-needed light on systemic sexism and violence against women by following the stories of numerous victims of American serial killer, Rodney Alcala, in the 1970s. Rodney Alcala was an American serial killer who was convicted for killing and sexually assaulting seven women. Investigators say the actual number may never be known, but estimate it could be as high as 130. The movie follows the true story of Alcala participating as a contestant on a popular 1978 dating TV show, which led him to be nicknamed the Dating Game Killer.

Bouncing between various victims’ storylines, the film’s split narrative heightens the feeling of danger and uncertainty that Kendrick intended to convey for this subject. Kendrick’s directional decisions created a stark environment that helped this movie stand out among other true crime thrillers. Her decisions as a filmmaker, from the choice of actors to the absence of background music, produce the ideal ambiance for viewers to respect the victims and view the movie with the appropriate sense of gravity.

The choice of Daniel Zovatto to play the vicious Rodney Alcala is brilliant. Too many times in recent years we have seen either highly known or stereotypically good-looking actors playing these sickening killers. Hollywood casting their hottest actors to depict criminals often leads fans to romanticize the killer, ultimately taking away from the experiences of victims and their families.

Take Zac Efron in the role of the infamous Ted Bundy in the 2019 Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile as an example. Efron’s A-list, High School Musical repertoire takes away from the raw intimidation that is Ted Bundy. He played a great role, but his family-friendly familiarity prohibited him from really encompassing the ‘charming stranger, dangerous man’ archetype. Kendrick, however, choosing Zovatto was a home run. Having starred in popular horror films like It Follows and Don’t Breathe, Zovatto is no stranger to playing unappealing roles and is not often seen on billboards. I would like to note, also, that Zovatto and the makeup team did a fantastic job making the character downright creepy. Many times while watching him on screen, I would feel my bones chill and arm hairs raise as he stared into the camera, allowing all of us at home to feel the sense of predatory yearning that his countless victims did. This made for an on-edge feeling throughout the duration of the film. A few times I had to check myself because I was white-knuckling the ends of the sofa.

Nightmare worthy performance

Though this film is a depiction of the real-life events of Alcala’s murder spree throughout the ‘70s, all of the victims, dialogue, and storylines are imagined. Because Alcala preyed on young women and children, as young as 12-years-old, airing these horrors on screen may be considered disrespectful to the families. There is a pivotal victim, played by young actress Autumn Best, who is the ‘runaway’ in the film and an essential character in the story. In the film, she is the one who escapes and ends Alcala’s reign of terror.

Best’s performance truly shook me. Her acting was spine-chilling and gave an inside look into what the victim was feeling in that moment. “It’s amazing how one selfish asshole can fuck up your entire life,” says Best in as her character, Amy, speaks to Alcala about how both of their fathers abandoned them at a young age. This foreshadowing Best portrays is exactly why you fall in love with her character, Amy. While watching, it is evident that the fiery victim comes from a rough background which is why she is no stranger to sticking up for herself. The horrific tale of Alcala and his crimes is effectively concluded at the end of the movie when Amy’s character escapes from him and alerts the police, resulting in his capture and a sentence of 25 years to life in jail. In real life, the story of Alcala’s arrest has a few differences but the movie’s storyline of runaway Amy acting embarrassed about her attack, making it seem as though it was consensual and manipulating him into sparing her life is accurate.

Giving victims more than just a name

Kendrick, who plays Sheryl Bradshaw, uses Bradshaw to show the aspects a lot of viewers overlook when looking at true crime, giving a genuine persona to the victims at hand. While witnessing the tragic fates of Alcala’s victims, the film also follows Bradshaw throughout, as we witness her hardships and daily activities prior to Alcala’s entrance in her life while on the popular 1970s television series “The Dating Game.” This portrayal gives Bradshaw a compelling sense of humanity, serving to humanize not only her but all of Alcala’s victims. It delivers a powerful message to viewers, urging them to reflect deeply on the gravity of such serious topics.

The film delves into the toxic, exploitative relationships many women had with the entertainment industry, highlighting how societal structures repeatedly failed to protect them. These systemic failures created opportunities for predators like Alcala to exploit women in even more insidious ways. “Which one of you will hurt me?” asks Denalda Williams, portraying Marilyn, a makeup artist on “The Dating Game.” This brief but poignant line captures the film’s central theme. It underscores the grim reality that women often make choices based not on their desires, but on their best chance of survival—a deeply unsettling truth the film forces viewers to confront.

Although I would like to hope that things have improved for women since the 1970s, I don’t think that’s the case. Even though times have shifted, there will always be men like Alcala. It is on us as women to raise awareness for the victims who have suffered and continue to suffer at the hands of predators. A chilling line that Zovatto delivers in the movie while in character on “The Dating Game” is, “I always get the girl,” to his fellow contestant. What this does is subtly foreshadow and set the tone for his sinister intentions with Kendrick’s character, Sheryl Bradshaw. After the game show comes to an end, Bradshaw is asked to pick her date from the three contestants on the other side of the curtain.

At this point, we as an audience know all of the heinous acts Alcala has committed and since we’ve followed Bradshaw’s storyline, we’ve grown a connection to her character. Bradshaw chooses Alcala as the “lucky contestant” and they end up going for drinks after the production wraps up. Immediately, Bradshaw starts picking up on red flags and tries to escape the situation, invoking a sense of anxiety and suspense. She ultimately manages to get to her car and flee, but this leaves both Bradshaw and the audience with a terrifying sense of ‘what-if’?

Kendrick donated all of her earnings from the film to two charities supporting survivors. She stated in a press interview that she would have felt ‘gross’ profiting from such a topic. This action as a first-time director is empowering and even more of a reason to watch the movie.

Overall, this film is a must-see. When you hit play on this one, though, be ready for a stressful and heavily intense ride.

Mia Smith is a Staff Writer for The Reflector, 2024-2025.