Written by Ian McDonald, the new Netflix release, Woman of the Hour, has a compelling, well-designed, screenplay and is the type of character-driven thriller that modern cinema doesn’t see often enough. Producer-star Anna Kendrick chose this film as her directing debut and, through some real behind-the-camera talent, proves herself a gifted filmmaker. Kendrick hadn’t planned to direct. After she was cast in the lead, the project stalled for a time. During the interim, the actress made the decision to helm the project. Kendrick impresses with her ability to seamlessly blend a 70s-era period piece, a touching human drama, and a truly gripping thriller. 

In a textbook example of how truth is stranger than fiction, Woman of the Hour tells the story of aspiring actress Cheryl Bradshaw (Kendrick). The young hopeful is just about through with Los Angeles, as she has failed to score a part after being turned down at every audition she attends. As Cheryl is about to throw in the towel on her dream of being a working actress, her agent gives her a chance at national exposure by booking her as the bachelorette on the popular show, “The Dating Game”. Of course this is not an acting gig, per se, but it will allow her face to be seen while the cheekiness of the show could give Cheryl a chance to show off her personality. Reluctantly, she agrees to be on the show. 

Cheryl’s episode would become one of the most famous of all game shows. Of the three bachelors who appeared on the segment, one of them, Rodney Alcala (a creepy Daniel Zovatto), was an active serial killer. 

Zovatto’s unnerving performance is one of the film’s highlights. The audience becomes an unwilling witness to some of Rodney Alcala’s murders, following him from seduction to his victims’ horrific deaths. The actor pulls off the undeniable charm that allowed Alcala to get so many women to trust him and once that charm is revealed to be a facade, easily slips into the devil without a disguise. This was a violent man who is rumored to have killed more than 130 women and children (convicted of only 7), but Zovatto doesn’t make him into a crazy-eyed manic who chews the scenery. Alcala was a deeply disturbed psychopath who saw women as objects there to accept his every gesture. To be rejected is to be shunned by a lesser being. In some twisted rationale, killing them frees his (and their) soul. Zovatto is seductive and stone-cold deadly in equal measure and makes the smugness of Alcala knowing he is getting away with so many murders extremely chilling. This is a terrific and terrifying performance that deserves to be remembered when this year’s awards season blooms. 

Anna Kendrick is perfect as Cheryl Bradshaw. This performance is on par with her career-best work in 2022’s Alice, Darling. Sheryl may not be successful, but she is determined. Eventually, constant failure breaks her and she hits the impenetrable wall of male chauvinism that was (and continues to be) the downfall of so many women trying to break into the industry. While little is known about the real Cheryl Bradshaw, Kendrick crafts a believable and relatable character. Kendrick doesn’t portray the standard wide-eyed starlet. She refuses to allow herself to become a victim of the male gaze. In a good scene, Cheryl is forced to suffer the indignities of two chauvinistic Hollywood producers who aren’t impressed by her physical appearance. Kendrick effortlessly shows the stern demeanor of the character, while showing how soul-crushing it is to have to sit there and take it, all in the name of landing an acting gig. While Cheryl tries hard not to become a victim of such disgusting (and, at the time, accepted) practices, she still falls into bed with her good friend and neighbor (Pete Holmes); a move that drives a wedge between them. On “The Dating Game” the actress stands up to the arrogant host, Ed Burke (an underused Tony Hale), going from timid to exuding full-on star-power by creating her own questions. As Cheryl, Anna Kendrick is smart, witty, and confident. A multi-talented performer, it would be to her advantage to concentrate on more serious works such as this.  

As a filmmaker, Kendrick is backed up by a fantastic creative team. Shot by cinematographer Zach Kuperstein (Barbarian), the late 1970s are captured flawlessly. The impressive camerawork doesn’t call attention to itself, but uses a sneaky style that compliments the material. Daytime Los Angeles is shot in golden light, while the murders darken the visual tone ever so slightly. By tightening the frame with each killing, Kuperstein captures the unbearable tension of the piece. 

Production designer Brent Thomas’ crafting of the game show is perfect, putting the finishing touches on the picture’s unblemished period recreation.  

Woman of the Hour is not just a film about a serial killer, but a clever expose on the rampant sexism of the era. “The Dating Game” was a disgusting televised meat-market for men to prey upon women, while the female contestants were giving demeaning questions worded with sexual innuendos. Cheryl’s encounters with the men of L.A. are never successful. When she doesn’t accept her neighbor’s charms, she gives in and is then made to feel as if it were her fault. When she doesn’t let producers dwell on her breast size during an audition, she is deemed as having no charisma. The film doesn’t hammer its audience with the screenplay’s commentary on sexism, but the real-world problem is handled quite well, fitting snugly into the story. 

Anna Kendrick does a great job her first time behind the lens. Not only does she capture the essence of the main characters and the male-dominance culture of the time, the director handles the more horrific scenes with the skill of the best horror filmmakers. While this is far from a textbook horror picture, Kendrick gets some palpable tension out of a few moments. The most frightening scene occurs when Cheryl and Alcala go for a drink after the show. It is at the table where she realizes there is something not right about this guy, as Cheryl can see the menace behind his demeanor. After they leave the restaurant, Cheryl walks back to her car, in the dark, as Alcala follows her from a distance. Kendrick shoots the scene wide while closing in the frame step by step, intensifying the experience through sound and carefully constructed camera movement. It is the film’s creepiest moment and one as unsettling as any horror movie. 

Woman of the Hour blends the artifice of the Hollywood dream with an interesting character study and a vicious true crime tale. While liberties have been taken, there is enough fact to allow this one to be quite effective. With a good cast and involving screenplay at her fingertips, Anna Kendrick’s debut as director is well-crafted, chilling and constantly effective. 

Woman of the Hour

Written by Ian McDonald

Directed by Anna Kendrick

Starring Anna Kendrick, Damiel Zovatto, Tony Hale, Pete Holmes, Autumn Best, Nicolette Robinson

NR, 95 Minutes, Netflix, AGC Studios, Vertical Entertainment