November 11, 2024

WOMAN OF THE HOUR (2024) – Dating a charming serial killer!

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Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Here is yet another true story about a serial killer in America (there seems to be an endless supply of such true crime stories from America) but told in a rather creative way. Anna Kendrick star as a woman who takes part in a TV dating date in the 1970’s, and inadvertently cross path with a serial killer! Many of us will fondly remember Kendrick as Jessica, friend to Bella (Kristen Stewart) in the Twilight series. She has since moved on to make her mark in Hollywood even earning a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for 2009’s Up in the Air. This movie marks another milestone in her impressive career as she not only acts and produce it but is also her directorial debut.

Woman of the Hour handles the story of the serial killer in a manner that I must say I have never come across. Instead of focusing on the killer’s exploits and how he eventually gets caught, the film follows the story of aspiring actress Chery Bradshaw’s (Kendrick) attempt for fame by agreeing to participate in a cheesy TV dating game. She unwittingly crosses path with the serial killer who, amazingly enough, was one of the 3 male participants in the game show vying to get chosen by Kendrick as “the date”. This main plot is intermediately narrated with flashbacks of the serial killer, Rodney Alcala’s (Daniel Zovatto) kills.

While the story may seem straightforward and even familiar, the film succeeds in telling the story in an interesting nonlinear fashion, and simultaneously making subtle statements on the industry’s sexism at that time and the struggles of women fighting for a voice of their own in a world of male aggression. Of course, society have progressed from that culture by now to the extent of having the table turned sometimes. It also reminds us to be always wary of strangers no matter how sweet and innocent they may be. The age old saying “never judge a book by its cover” has never been truer here. Actor Daniel Zovatto embodies the role of the serial killer here in a chilling performance. His persona of a charming guy is such an understatement to the real person inside. The central plot of the dating game episode in the midst of all the background information we have of the killer, kept us in suspense and was very well done. Kendrick displays the creativity and confidence here that deludes the fact that this is her first attempt at directing.

Woman of the Hour’s stranger than fiction tale of a serial killer who was a contestant in a 1970’s dating game show, is a pleasant surprise and an engrossing watch. Anna Kendrick triumphs in her directorial debut and we look forward to more stirring stuff from her in the future.

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