Woman of the Hour

Do you listen to murder podcasts? 

This movie is a murder podcast come to life. All that’s missing is one woman to narrate and another to say, ‘oh wow, unbelievable.” 

In Woman of the Hour Anna Kendrick plays a young actress who goes on The Dating Game and is wooed by a dummy, a sleazeball and a serial killer.

“Oh wow, unbelievable.” 

The true life, if corny premise, threw me off until it came to Netflix but I was excited to be wrong. 

Kendrick also directs and wrings every bit of tension out the premise. This is a solid debut from a first time director. 

The story splits allowing us to follow Kendrick’s waning acting career and the killers previous encounters. 

You know where each of those scenes is going but Kendrick still finds a new way into the serial killer cliches, either through unique camera work or just by letting each moment find just the right amount hope before she slides the knife in. 

Kendrick and company also use nearly each scene to express how women are vulnerable around every man, even the “nice guys.” 

A movie with a solid theme that pays off in a decent way. 

Ultimately, it’s a modest film with modest goals. But it achieves them all the same. I’m looking forward to what Kendrick directs next.