Quartile rating: 7/10 · 1 rating
An aspiring actress crosses paths with a prolific serial killer in '70s LA when they're cast on an episode of "The Dating Game."
Woman of the Hour earns strong marks for its genuinely unsettling and distinctive premise — the real-life intersection of Rodney Alcala's Dating Game appearance with aspiring actress Cheryl Bradshaw is one of true crime's most chilling and bizarre episodes. Anna Kendrick's directorial debut shows confident instincts, and the dual-protagonist structure is handled with care. The acting, particularly from Daniel Zovatto as Alcala, is a standout — his charm-masking-menace is deeply effective. The film's novelty is high because the specific premise is so singular and the tonal balance between procedural dread and feminist commentary is handled with unusual restraint for the genre. The cinematography is serviceable and period-appropriate without being especially distinguished. The ending, however, is the weakest element — it struggles to land the emotional and narrative payoff the setup demands, feeling somewhat abrupt and unsatisfying given the real-world moral weight it carries.