Woman Of The Hour (2023) Dir: Anna Kendrick
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This netflix original thriller served as the directorial debut of Anna Kendrick, and is based on true events surrounding the infamous 'Dating Game Killer'; Rodney Alcala. As someone with an interest in true crime, this film intrigued me greatly - not just because of what it was depicting, but of how it could depict it.
The film did two things very well, in order to convey the emotional state of the women in the film. Firstly, they used a lot of close shots and fast movements, to make some of the scenes feel rushed and claustrophobic. Secondly, the film did an excellent job of pointing out the things that women notice that put them on edge around men.
The truth behind the film informed a lot of the chilling suspense that came with viewing the film, but a lot of that was also due to some very succinct filmmaking and storytelling, which utilised subtle techniques to build tension and make the audience uncomfortable. The scene in the car-pack was particularly well shot.
I was glad that most of the violence occurred off-screen. There is a tendency to rely on explicit violence to instil fear in a film's audience, but I felt that this one did that without having to be gratuitous. So much of the fear is built on the excellent performances of the women in the film, who were all excellent.
I liked the narrative structure quite a lot - the way it utilised flashbacks and cut-ins was very impactful. If anything, the main narrative of the film was less impactful, until its final scenes, but I still enjoyed it from a story perspective. The two climaxes of the film were both sublimely done, and were incredibly intense.
Anna Kendrick was very good in her lead role. I liked the her character's journey, and how she, along with all the other women in the film, was presented as strong and intelligent. I'm not always the biggest fan of Kendrick's acting, but I can't deny that she really was excellent in this.
I was slightly less convinced by Daniel Zovatto, although the scenes were he was acting more sinister were very good. I don't think he was as convincing in some of the other scenes though, he just felt a little inauthentic to me. That said, there was certainly more good than bad.
My favourite performance though, was provided by Autumn Best, whose acting was exemplary. She was so likable. I also enjoyed the acting of Nicolette Robinson, although I'd have liked to have seen a little more of her. Aside from those named, I also thought that Pete Holmes, Kathryn Gallagher, Kelley Jakle and Tony Hale deserve mentions for their supporting roles.
Overall, I think that this was a very commendable directorial debut for Anna Kendrick. The story felt important, relevant and emotionally driven, the female characters in the film were full of such personality and life, and the message of the film wasn't lost in the actions of its antagonist. It was, quite simply, a very good thriller.
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