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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFJ-O3qmnVM
Anna Kendrick hops into the director’s seat to tell the ridiculous true story of a real-life serial killer that decided to win a date on a popular TV game show mid-killing spree in Woman of the Hour.
Cheryl (Anna Kendrick) is a shy up-and-coming model who appears on popular TV game show The Dating Game. Despite his aloof attitude, she finds herself charmed by the mysterious bachelor Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto). As they forge a relationship, Cheryl discovers a real connection, one that makes her feel seen.
source: Netflix
But unbeknownst to her, Rodney is a serial killer who has murdered 5 women. And as Cheryl slowly learns the truth of the man she’s fallen for, she’ll have to do everything she can to avoid becoming another notch in his belt of victims.
The inherent problem with stranger-than-fiction true crime stories is the understanding that, yes, this all really happened. When you fictionalize a story like that, you remove that filter from the audience. And soon enough, you’ve just made a goofy crime movie that people call unrealistic (see also: Joe vs. Carole, which nobody watched).
Star-director Kendrick avoids this pitfall by playing the story as a straight serial killer yarn, delving into the psychology of a killer on national TV, and the systemic misogyny of the time that would continue to enable him. By casting herself as a traditional “final girl” type lacking the Kendrickian humor one would expect from such a goofy premise, it lends the film a gravitas and reality. No fun, no games, this Alcala fellow is dangerous.
And in the world of Hollywood sensationalizing serial killers (see also: Dahmer), Daniel Zovatto’s dead-eyed performance clearly paints him as a twisted monster rather than a good man gone wrong. There’s a no-frills approach to the film, and while a more satirical approach may have also found success, this 1st trailer makes the film’s tone clear.
Now it’s time for Kendrick to prove she can still execute an entertaining movie without going for easy audience reactions. Hopes are high.
Directed by and starring Anna Kendrick, Woman Of The Hour will release on Netflix in late 2024.
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