Netflix film Woman of the Hour remains a strong contender on the streaming giant’s chart for Top 10 movies worldwide. The 2023 American crime thriller is directed by famous A-list celebrity Anna Kendrick and written by Ian McDonald. This film is her directorial debut and is based on the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala and his 1978 appearance on the television show The Dating Game, which was taken amid his killing spree. Being the human rights champion she is, Kendrick feels guilty about profiting from the crime thriller film and instead donates all of her profit to charity. Here’s everything we know about Woman of the Hour.
Woman of the Hour Plot
Woman of the Hour stars Kendrick as game show contestant Sheryl Bradshaw and Daniel Zovatto as Rodney Alcala. Before Netflix was the 1970s show The Dating Game, a game show in which a bachelorette chooses her favorite from three unseen bachelors through groovy questions and situations. Kendrick plays Sheryl, an artist running out of gigs who decides to star in the show. She chooses the charming bachelor, Rodney Alcala, unaware that, behind that gentle facade, a deadly secret is waiting to jump out.
The “successful photographer,” Rodney, appeared on the show despite serving two terms for committing sexual acts against two minors, the only charge the DA could prove. Unbeknownst to everyone, even the police, Alcala has already raped and murdered five women in the months before the broadcast. Like numerous psychopaths, he appeared charming and intelligent on the surface, winning the Dating Game as Sheryl’s date.
The Reality
Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut, Woman of the Hour, brought #MeToo into focus. In her post and film, she focuses on law enforcement’s misjudgment. First is how they don’t take allegations seriously or pursue leads, allowing Alcala to slip and strike. Their inability has led to Alcala being able to kill over 100 women and girls, and Kendrick amplifies the chilling sense of fear and foreboding. Despite this, she allows Alcala’s victims to retain their humanity and dignity. Hence, Woman of the Hour is praised for being a balanced true-crime film that depicts reality and all its unsavoriness without harming the victims or putting them in an alluring light.
All Profits to Charity
Woman of the Hour had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 8, 2023. Its Netflix debut was a year later, on October 18, 2024. Despite the success, Kendrick reveals she didn’t set out to profit from this project. She told the “Crime Junkie AF” podcast that this wasn’t a money-making venture for her. Even when Netflix bought the movie or the week until the film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival, her focus wasn’t on money.
To Kendrick, it didn’t feel right to profit from a film of this nature. Instead, she chose to donate the profit to two of the largest sexual assault nonprofit organizations in America: RAINN and the National Center for Victims of Violent Crime. Despite the film achieving an all-time high, Kendrick feels gross about this project.
Final Thoughts
Two weeks after its release, Woman of the Hour was watched the equivalent of 23 million times. Netflix also reportedly paid $11m for the film’s rights. Still, Kendrick perfectly allows the film and its viewers to realize the ethical questions around true crime and its victims’ reality. It is a must-watch series for true crime fanatics and the general public.
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