Congratulations Anna Kendrick! Your date (and directorial debut) is a killer!
Anna Kendrick makes her directorial debut of “Woman of the Hour,” the latest Netflix crime drama inspired by the life of the serial killer Rodney Alvaro, who appeared on the 70s show “The Dating Game.” Every scene with this killer is played hauntingly by Daniel Zovatto, reminding us a bit of Javier Bardem’s brilliant performance in “No Country for Old Men.” And the movie, itself, shows us both sides with him as a bachelor and as a killer.
It’s often entertaining when TV shows have a dark turn to them, like last April’s “Late Night with the Devil,” which was an elevated horror film from IFC Films and Shudder. “Woman of the Hour,” is, as I’ve mentioned, a Netflix thriller, but a smart one. In most cases, these days, their thrillers have more questions and challenges than their romances and comedies, and with the right subject matters, this will keep you glued to your screen via TV or laptop.
The time is 1978. Kendrick casts herself as Cheryl Bradshaw, who, without an audition, becomes the latest contestant on the show. The sleazy host Ed Burke (Tony Hale)-based on Jim Lange-warns her, however, not to test the intimidated bachelors with her intelligence. And Alvaro, who poses as a photographer reeling women into his clutches, is Bachelor No. 3. He’s so ambitious about getting Cheryl that he tells another contestant Arnie (Jedidiah Goodacre) that he “always gets the girl.”
Cheryl picks Bachelor No. 3 as her date, unaware of his evil intentions. Only one of the audience members, Laura (Nicolette Robinson), knows that bachelor because she lost her friend to that monster. And she tries to warn the people behind the show, but it becomes difficult. Even though it might be stressful regarding what the law saw at the time (which forces Laura to say: “Do your jobs!”), it still isn’t the end of the story. In fact, the movie also reminds us that this killer was released on bail and acquitted before finally pleading guilty and being sent to jail for 25 to life.
Even though Cheryl (who is based on the real Cheryl Bradshaw) is credited as the main heroine, we also get aspects from Alvaro’s other victims. We see how they fall into his charismatic charms, until they learn about his true colors too late. Cheryl isn’t a fan of the show, but her questions to the bachelors are in a fiery state, that I bet Carey Mulligan’s “Promising Young Woman” character would enjoy them. They really make a distinction on what makes a man an eligible bachelor. Even the “Dating Game” host starts to drop some misogynistic words about her.
In front of and behind the camera, Kendrick makes her directorial debut with a Coen Brothers ambiance that remind us of how many actors and actresses have made their directing debuts with originality and genre exploring. She also casts Zovatto tremendously well, and I’ve already delivered my praises to him. And the supporting performances from Robinson, Hale, and Autumn Best (as a runaway teen and an Alvaro victim) are perfectly cast and convincing in their respective natures.
This “Dating Game” episode would give Alvero the nickname “The Dating Game Killer,” and at the time, it would be pretty easy for him to be a contestant without most people knowing his pure evil. And according to the facts, his true number of victims remains unknown and could be as high as 130. “Woman of the Hour” runs for 90s minutes, which is appropriate, because we don’t want to see him spend hours killing and raping women. It’s disgusting. And I’m glad Kendrick told this story from the game show, his photography games, and the outcomes of them.
Streaming on Netflix