In Woman of the Hour, the year is 1978 and aspiring actress, Cheryl Bradshaw, appears as a contestant on popular television game show, The Dating Game. The show isn’t something Cheryl wants to take part in, but her friend believes it will be a good way for her to meet men and Cheryl reluctantly agrees.
While on the show, Cheryl is presented with three potential suitors, who for the purposes of the game are hidden from her view. The object of the game is for Cheryl to ask questions to the suitors, for them to answer, and for her to find a suitable match based on their responses.
But while the game should run smoothly, and offer Cheryl the opportunity to find the perfect match, there is something wrong with suitor No. 3. Unbeknown to Cheryl, suitor No. 3 is an active serial killer who understands how to play The Dating Game to his own benefit.
Directed by and starring Anna Kendrick, alongside a supporting cast which includes Daniel Zovatto, Nicolette Robinson, and Tony Hale, Woman of the Hour is a crime thriller based on a true story. In 1978, serial killer Rodney Alcala appeared on The Dating Game while in the midst of his killing spree, and Woman of the Hour provides an account of this.
And it is a well-crafted account, artfully put together by Kendrick. Woman of the Hour marks Kendrick’s directorial debut, and working from a script by Ian McDonald it is a superb start to her directing career.
The film looks at the events surrounding Cheryl’s appearance on The Dating Game; the dreadful murders committed by Rodney Alcala; and the way in which a serial killer could get away with horrendous crimes for so long. The picture also highlights sexism and misogyny which existed within the ‘70s (and which still exists today), and how this dovetails into the story.
All the way through the film, Woman of the Hour demonstrates the way in which men objectify, belittle, and/or dismiss women, creating a sense of the difficulties female victims encounter. The film constantly serves up a pervading sense of threat and danger, which permeates the picture, and Kendrick has a handle on everything marvellously.
What makes this film flow as well as it does, is the way in which it is clear from the get-go who Alcala is and what danger he poses to the woman around him. This isn’t a film in which there is a shock revelation about his crimes, instead the audience is privy to his activities from the beginning, long before Cheryl is placed in his path.
The tension then mounts as Alcala gets closer to Cheryl throughout the game. His answers on The Dating Game prove to be much stronger than those given by his fellow suitors, making it appear almost inevitable that he will win her affections (or at least win the game).
To add to this, while the game is playing out on screens, the film regularly switches back and forth to a subplot about an audience member trying to alert producers to Alcala’s identity. She recognises Alcala and attempts to notify those in power about his intentions toward Cheryl, but finds herself fighting her own battles in a male dominated arena.
Cheryl’s journey is the main focus of the film, but there are a number of female characters who are intrinsic to the picture. They might not share the same amount of screen time, and unfortunately they are all victims in their own way, but they are vital pieces to this puzzling story.
Woman of the Hour is about collective female voices, how they often go unheard, and how they are subjected to the male dominated environment around them. Alcala’s reign of terror lasts far longer than it should, and this is largely due to the men in power who simply don’t listen (or care), and Woman of the Hour captures this effortlessly.
Utilising plenty of tight close-ups to draw the audience in, as well as a keen eye for detail and an excellent use of tone and atmosphere, Woman of the Hour is an expertly told picture. Kendrick’s voice as a director, as well as her presence as a key character in the movie is felt throughout, and this ensures Woman of the Hour is more than just another serial killer picture.
From a scene in which Cheryl walks across an empty car park at night, and a sequence in which a victim has to be wily to survive an attack from Alcala, to a frustrating situation in which a character is forced to scream “Do your f**king job” to an uninterested police officer, Kendrick gets it – she just gets it. The director uses every opportunity to put female voices and female frustrations on screen, and does so in a way which is compelling, captivating, and insightful.
Woman of the Hour is highly recommended. Should you wish to check it out (and you should), the film is now streaming on Netflix.
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