Co-produced and directed by Anna Kendrick, ‘Woman of the Hour’ first premiered at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival last month. It then grabbed the attention of movie legions and went on to become the no.1 film on Netflix, following its streaming debut on October 18.
The Netflix title tells the true story of serial killer Rodney Alcala, who throughout the film meets several women. He preys on those women and then kills them. However, there is a change in his crime pattern towards the end of the story, when a young runaway Amy manages to escape Alcala in return for keeping what happened between them a secret before she turns him into the police.
But, although the viewers might believe in the idea that justice is served, Alcala, played by Daniel Zovatto, is seen released on bail at the end credits, and went on to kill two more women, before he was re-arrested.
The final moments, which have both feelings, a tortured gasp of Amy with Alcala’s arrest, were done on purpose by the movie’s director Kendrick.
“As incongruous as it is, that’s Sondheim,” she told Netflix Tudum about the scene, referring to composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim. “That chord resolving at the end of Into the Woods, and then one last ‘I wish’ ringing out.”
“Because there isn’t a perfect resolution: That character has survived, but it’s not as simple as ‘She’s going to be fine now.’ It’s meant to evoke dissonance at the very least,” Kendrick explained.
Notably, Netflix explained at the end of the title: “For over a decade, Alcala had been reported to law enforcement by survivors and other private citizens without consequence. He was eventually convicted of the murders of seven women and girls. After 31 years in prison, Alcala had a final chance for acquittal. The runaway, now a grown woman, appeared in court to testify against him. According to the prosecutor, ‘She showed up and put the nail in Rodney’s coffin.’”
Anna Kendrick opens up on directing Netflix’s Woman of the Hour
It is worth mentioning here that Alcala was convicted of five counts of first-degree murder and was sentenced for the murder of five, including 12-year-old Robin Samsoe, in 2010. Two years later, after facing charges for the murder of two women, he was extradited to New York and was sentenced to 25 years to life.
Alcala died from natural causes in July 2021.
‘Woman of The Hour’, featuring Nicolette Robinson and Tony Hale along with Kendrick and Zovatto, is now streaming on Netflix.
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