Woman Of The Hour Review: Kendrick’s Directorial Debut Is Promising But Tonally Off

Academy award-nominated actress Anna Kendrick has been in a plethora of films that capture varying experiences of her female characters. For the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, she directs and stars in a tragic, based-on-a-true-story that intertwines one young woman’s hopes of making it big in Hollywood and the 1970s hit show, The Dating Game. It’s also the television show that once hosted Rodney Alcala, a contestant who turned out to be a serial rapist and killer and whose appearance coincided with his killing spree. Woman of the Hour details the events leading up to his TV debut and his eventual date with Cheryl Bradshaw (Kendrick). While showing good potential overall, Kendrick’s directorial debut is hindered by tonal imbalances and poor editing.