Woman of the Hour
Woman of the Hour
Woman of the Hour is based on the stranger-than-fiction true story of Cheryl Bradshaw and Rodney Alcala. Bradshaw was a bachelorette on the hit '70s TV matchmaking show The Dating Game and chose handsome and funny bachelor No. 3, Rodney Alcala. But behind Alcala's charming facade was a deadly secret: He was a psychopathic serial killer.
Hakihiko reviewedDecember 16, 2024
Style and Intrigue, But Lacks Focus
"Woman of the Hour" offers a unique angle by blending true crime with the glitzy, often superficial world of reality television. While the premise is promising, the movie ultimately left me feeling a bit unsatisfied. I did enjoy certain aspects of it and wouldn't call it a bad film; it's clear the filmmakers put effort into crafting a neat and stylistic portrayal of a twisted story. However, the film struggles to find its focus, which dampens the impact it might have otherwise had.
One of the movie's biggest issues is its pacing. It's a slow burn that, rather than building tension, drags the story along without a strong sense of momentum. The killer's story-the element that should form the backbone of the narrative-is present, but it feels somewhat diluted by the film's broader exploration of the dating show setup. Although the dating segments are actually well-executed and visually engaging, along with Cheryl's slice of life, they ultimately take up too much space in the film for my taste, especially considering its limited runtime. This extensive focus on these aspetcs might work better in a longer movie, but here it feels disproportionate, leaving too little time to delve deeply into the more complex psychological elements of the killer's character.
The film's tone and aesthetic choices are spot on. The cinematography and production design bring out the eerie contrasts between the flashy, overly-staged atmosphere of the dating show and the dark undercurrent of the killer's story. It's a clever touch that highlights the juxtaposition between reality TV's facade and the real threat lurking beneath. The unsettling score is also well-used, adding a layer of tension, even if the narrative itself doesn't always sustain it. The performances are solid across the board, with the cast doing their best to elevate scenes that, at times, feel stretched or underwritten.
There are some memorable moments that hint at the movie's potential, and these scenes showcase a glimmer of what "Woman of the Hour" could have been if the focus were tighter. If the film had devoted more time to exploring the killer's psychological depth or background, it might have achieved a greater impact. As it stands, there's a missed opportunity to dig into the mind of someone whose disturbing tendencies are masked by the charm necessary to appear on national television.
In conclusion, while "Woman of the Hour" brings some interesting ideas to the table, it doesn't fully realize them. The balance between its storytelling and the portrayal of the dating show is off, resulting in a movie that feels a bit aimless. It's worth watching for its concept and its craft, but it doesn't quite achieve the depth or intrigue it seemed to promise.