“Be cautious who you converse with, because you will be next.” The film “The Women of the Hour,” directed by Anna Kendrick, was released on Netflix on October 18, 2024. This film is based on an accurate tale from 1978 about Rodney Alcala, a serial murderer who appeared on a dating program; you can locate this information on the BBC. Though some details in this film didn’t occur in real life, most events are true.
Spoilers Ahead!! This horrifying film will depict the perspective of a young lady searching for an acting profession and going on the program where she meets the “man of her dreams.” I recall hearing about the well-known story of a man appearing on a dating program on YouTube when I was young. It was strange because one of them was a serial murderer on a murdering spree targeting women. So, when I learned that Netflix was producing a film on this case, I knew I had to watch it.
Tomato Meter: 91%
Popcorn Meter: 67%
This movie may not appeal to the human eye, but these critics don’t lie. These ratings show how great this film is.
We initially meet the main character Sheryl played by Anna Kendrick (the director), a victim of Alcala in 1978 who aspired to be an actress, she’s well known for being in a dating show. Before being offered to be in the show, she believed it wasn’t for her but was persuaded to go since it might help her get seen. The following day, she arrives at the studio and begins her preparations. When ready, she stepped to the stage and hid from the three bachelors. As she asked all the questions, she chose Bachelor #3, who happened to be Alcala. Sheryl is pleased with her decision, and the two leave to grab drinks.
Nonetheless, she felt very uncomfortable and afraid of him because of his demeanor and was adamant that she wanted to depart. As they walked away, he asked for her phone number. This increased Sheryl’s dread, and she intentionally provided him with the wrong phone number so he would never call her. However, her strategy failed, and he wanted to phone her to determine whether the number was legitimate. When he recognized it was a phony, he asked her if he could meet her at the hiking trail. Sheryl informed him that she would never go anyplace with him, which infuriated Acala. He promised her he’d see her around, and Sheryl agreed. She began walking quickly to her car, and he was coming up with her. She swiftly attempted to enter her car, but he barred her entry. Fortunately, some strangers emerged from a garage as if they were leaving for work, sparing her life.
Alcala was apprehended in 1979 in San Gabriel after attempting to murder his girlfriend Amy on the same hiking route where he had brought all of his previous victims. The difference between her and the rest is that she was clever enough to trick him; she misled them into believing that it was OK for him to attempt to murder her and that they should return home. A terrified Alcala consented and drove to a gas station after he went to the bathroom to refresh himself. This decision he made saved many women out in the world from his wicked deeds.
Overview:
Anna Kendrick demonstrates Alcala’s character, played by Daniel Zovatoo, as a pleasant and attractive man to ladies in the 1970s. Thankfully, this movie ensures that you’re not on his side. He is well-known for participating in this dating show in 1978 while concealing his darker side, demonstrating how manipulative this man was. This illustrates how gullible women were to meet him without knowing who he was, believing he was a decent and attractive man. When it came to his murders, the filmmaker chose not to depict any violence to divert attention away from his killing. Anna Kendrick made sure this film sheds light on this intense film to demonstrate the systems making life easier for horrible and dangerous men other than protecting women.
