Woman of the Hour
In 1978, a serial killer appeared on live TV as a bachelor on The Dating Game. The only people who suspected were the women he pursued.
Overview
An aspiring actress crosses paths with a prolific serial killer in '70s LA when they're cast on an episode of "The Dating Game."
I’ve never been all that impressed with Anna Kendrick, and as such wasn’t really that interested in checking out this film, her first foray into directing. However, I had some free time, and so popped it on, and by the end of it I knew I had to bring it to the show to review. You see, it turns out Kendrick can direct!
Based on the life of the serial killer Rodeny Alcala in the 70s, who evaded capture after killing multiple women (the numbers of which some say may be over a hundred), the film jumps between multiple time periods as it slowly unfolds the story of Alcala’s encounters with a few of the victims of his abuse, with the primary focus being on his appearance on the TV show The Dating Game (in which Kendrick plays the aspiring actress Cheryl Bradshaw who is on the show to gain attention after failing multiple auditions). Through these TV moments we glimpse the charm that Alcala played to entice his victims, whilst in the other time period settings we explore the darker aspects of his persona, and his brutality towards those he lures in.
The trailer for this focussed on Kendrick as Bradshaw, but the film itself is primarily a study of Alcala, and Daniel Zovatto imbues the part with a performance that switches from light and playful, to intelligent and charming, to dark and threatening at the drop of a pin. It is easy to see how he charmed so many of his victims, whilst also giving off red-flag signals to anyone who looked close enough. Sadly, those red-flags were largely ignored at the time, and the film does delve into the realisation that Alcala got away with his murders for almost a decade due to law enforcement not taking any reports seriously, or simply ignoring cries for help.
Kendrick’s direction is sombre and effective, with some aid from cinematographer Zack Kuperstein, and the 70s aesthetic is wonderfully captured in all its beauty and darkness. The cast are all handled well, and the woven plotting from Ian McDonald’s screenplay never sensationalises the true story.
This is a powerful telling of a true story that examines a misogynistic period that allowed such violence to go unchecked for so long, and as a subject matter for a first time directing gig, Kendrick made a bold choice, but one that has certainly paid off!