Woman of the Hour is a real-life story translated into a suspenseful and compact thriller, and it feels good to see Anna Kendrick not just act but direct, too. This film is her directorial debut in the industry.
It has been successful in retelling one of the most horrifying and unbelievable true biopics, where the chosen subject is a notorious serial killer, Rodney Alcala. Kendrick quite aptly portrays the spasmodic and incongruent horror of the killer’s crime series in quite a fresh and unique way.
Kendrick is wonderfully energetic and charismatic in the role of Cheryl Bradshaw, the bachelorette who narrowly escaped being murdered by Alcala when she won the game on “The Dating Game.” The main character has an aura of “The Girl Next Door,” and here, she plays the same type of character, which is relatable and quite sympathetic.
Just watching her go through such unsettling tension makes the audience tense all through. Daniel Zovatto, meanwhile, is equally remarkable. He has immaculately delivered a performance as Alcala. His role has been a perfect blend of unnerving and oddly charming nature. He can uphold a very fine line of charisma while still being dangerous, thus making it all the more believable that Alcala could manipulate those in his life so easily.
Zovatto presents Alcala as a terrific and charismatic predator, which is one of the best things about the film. Zovatto added a layer of suspense, thrill, and tension in every scene he appeared.
In its essence, Woman of the Hour is an engaging and disturbing story describing how Alcala was able to use his wit and deceive people about who he truly was. The handling of the film’s tempo is magnificent in this regard as well. It’s an entertaining, compelling, and frightening watch.
It emphasized the psychological dynamics of both predator and prey. Kendrick’s direction is tight and on point. Each scene was made in a way that either heightened suspense or built the character.
With innumerable positive elements, the movie also has sexual and violent content and dialogues in crude language. However, the audience has liked it and given the Woman of the Hour movie review which is on the positive side.
Premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023, this movie was released on 18th October, 2024 in Netflix. Buckle up to experience a perfect storm of suspense, drama and twists!
