Content Advisory: Rape and Sexual Assault, Abuse, Kidnapping
A contestant on The Dating Game turns out to be a woman-killing serial killer in Woman of the Hour. Cheryl Bradshaw (Anna Kendrick) is a struggling actress in 1978 Hollywood. Cheryl’s agent gets her a role as the main contestant on The Dating Game, a cheesy match-making game show hosted by Ed Burke (Tony Hale), where Cheryl is tasked with questioning three bachelors. However, audience member Laura (Nicolette Robinson) recognizes Bachelor No. 3 as Rodney Alcara (Daniel Zovatto), a serial killer who has been killing women in the area.
Woman of the Hour Synopsis
Woman of the Hour is the directorial debut for Anna Kendrick, who also stars in the lead role of actress Cheryl Bradshaw. The film, written by Ian MacAllister McDonald (Some Freaks), is based on the true story of the time serial killer Rodney Alcara became a contestant on The Dating Game, while in the midst of a killing spree in the late-1970s. In addition to the main plot during The Dating Game, the film utilizes various flashbacks of Alcara stalking his victims.
My Thoughts on Woman of the Hour
Woman of the Hour is a solid directorial debut of Anna Kendrick, whole also shines in her performance during the main Dating Game plot. However, the film makes the conscious attempt to tell the story of Rodney Alcara’s killing spree, without actually showing his murders of women on screen. This, along with the ultimately directionless subplot involving traumatized audience member Laura, whose warnings about Alcara is met with apathy, somewhat dilutes the overall impact of the story and Rodney Alcara’s story is probably better told as a documentary.