Anna Kendrick is trading in her Pitch Perfect pipes for a megaphone as she takes the director’s chair in her debut film, Woman of the Hour—coming to Netflix this October! That’s right, not content with being just a superstar actress, Anna decided, “You know what? I think I’ll become a director too. Why not? Everyone’s doing it.”
So what’s this movie about, you ask? Well, hold on to your flared jeans and disco shoes, because it’s a wild one! Picture this: It’s the groovy 1970s in Los Angeles, a time when sideburns were long, and shorts were… well, much shorter than they should’ve been. In the midst of this polyester paradise, an aspiring actress and a serial killer (who sounds like the worst kind of method actor) are both cast on a little show called The Dating Game. Yes, you read that right. A serial killer. On a dating show. If your first thought is, “Wait, who let that happen?!” you’re not alone.
The movie is inspired by the jaw-dropping true story of Cheryl Bradshaw, who unwittingly found herself playing a dangerous game of roses with none other than Rodney Alcala, the notorious serial killer. Woman of the Hour doesn’t just stop at the creepy factor, though. Oh no, it dives deep into the larger issues, like how to avoid ending up on a date with someone whose idea of fun includes a murder spree—valuable lessons for everyone on Tinder these days, right?
Now, in a plot twist worthy of Hollywood, Anna Kendrick wasn’t originally supposed to direct this film. Nope, she was just going to act in it and produce it—y’know, typical overachiever stuff. But after two years of waiting around like someone in a restaurant wondering if the waiter has forgotten their order, Anna said, “Enough is enough!” and took matters into her own hands. She confessed, “For two years, I was sitting there thinking, ‘Well, if it were my movie, this is how I’d do it.’ And then one day, it hit me: Oh wait, it could be my movie!” And just like that, she went from actress to director faster than you can say “Action!”
In addition to delivering a chilling true-crime thriller, Anna also wanted to tackle a serious issue: victim blaming. You know those moments where people say things like, “Well, she should’ve seen the red flags”? Yeah, Anna is here to remind us that blaming the victim is just as subtle as a hammer to the face. She put it best when she said, “Even well-meaning people say things like, ‘Oh, you just gotta pay attention to the red flags,’ which isn’t the worst advice, but come on—woof.”
Woman of the Hour is hitting Netflix on October 18, just in time to scare the pants off you for spooky season. Anna Kendrick stars as Cheryl Bradshaw, and Daniel Zovatto steps into the very uncomfortable shoes of Rodney Alcala. Get your popcorn (and maybe some pepper spray) ready!
