Woman of the Hour is a 2023 American crime thriller film directed by Anna Kendrick from a screenplay by Ian MacDonald. The film premiered on the Netflix movie platform on October 18, 2023.
In the 1970s, when television was the pinnacle of American culture, an innocent game becomes the scene for the most incredible revelation. The film follows the true story of Rodney Alcala, a charismatic but chilling serial killer who appeared on the air in 1978 as a contestant on the popular television show The Dating Game. Inexplicably, despite his criminal record and predatory behavior, he was allowed to participate and even… won.
At the center of the story is Cheryl Bradshaw (in the role Anna Kendrick, who also directed the film) – a young actress and model who has to choose between three suitors. Intrigued by Rodney’s charm, she initially chooses him, but something in her instincts makes her turn down a date after the show. This decision probably saves her life.
As events unfold in the television studio, the film weaves a storyline that reveals Alcala's past crimes - a horrific series of cold-blooded attacks and murders, disguised behind smiles and fake charm. The police investigation and the victims' testimonies begin to build a true portrait of the man behind the mask - a manipulator who uses the public's hunger for fame to hide in the most public place.
Anna Kendrick's directorial debut is stylishly and confidently realized. She boldly plays with the contrast between the glossy world of showbiz and the grim reality of violence, asking important questions about how entertainment culture often ignores instincts and danger in the name of "show.".
„"Woman of the Hour" is not just a biographical thriller - it's a film about trust, about intuition, and about the true cost of blind public entertainment. It's a warning in retro costume - eerily relevant and deeply human.
