In 1970s Los Angeles, as a wave of murders makes headlines, a young woman aspiring to become an actress and a serial killer cross paths during an episode of a dating show.
Director: Anna Kendrick
Cast: Anna Kendrick, Daniel Zovatto, Nicolette Robinson, Tony Hale, Autumn Best, Pete Holmes
Release Date: October 11, 2024
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery
Unrated
Runtime: 1h 35m
Review:
Anna Kendrick's directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, is an efficient true crime dramatization that shows promising talent behind the camera for its star/director. Kendrick displays a steady confidence in the director's chair as she has a clear vision of how she wants to tell this story. She gives the film a moody, unsettling feel from the onset where the implicit threat of violence is ever present in the form of Daniel Zovatto's charming but off putting Rodney Alcala. Zovatto's turn is measured for the majority of the film, which makes the eventual moments of violence all the more impactful. He also manages to convey the intelligent charm and braggadocious nature that made Alcala an engaging figure. Zovatto packed on a few pounds to deemphasis Alcala's looks, but it gives the screen version more outright, creepy vibe which would sound alarm bells for most women especially when he's offering to take them to a secluded location. It appears to be a conscience choice in order to avoid glamorizing the serial killer at the center of the story but it does create a bit of narrative turbulence as its harder to explain why these women were so trusting. Its saps a bit of tension from the story which is unavoidable in general since the outcome is fairly well known. That being said it doesn't keep Kendrick's scenes with Zovatto from packing an uncomfortable punch in the film's final act. It’s capped off by an impressively staged sequence in an empty parking lot between the two as there's a palpable change in the dynamic as things turn more predatory and dangerous. It’s a moment where you get a real sense of the promise Kendrick's has as a director and it should leave you eager to see what she does in her sophomore turn.
B+
