Anna Kendrick’s Directorial Debut Is Amazing on Netflix

By Chris Snellgrove | Published 1 minute ago

Anna Kendrick made a name for herself by starring in a series of classic films like this one Pitch Perfect again Scott Pilgrim vs. The world. Because of her endearing “girl next door” quality, it has been difficult for some moviegoers to see how talented she really is. As it turns out, Kendrick is just as talented behind the camera as he is in front of it, and now you can watch his directorial debut. Woman of the Hour on Netflix.

A Scary True Story

Anna Kendrick’s first film focuses on the infamous case of Rodney Alcala, a serial killer who was still waiting to appear. The Dating Game in 1978 in the midst of his gruesome murder. In choosing to make an interesting film, Woman of the Hour is split between recounting the bloody, epic adventures of Alcala and the more straightforward story of an aspiring gamer who thinks attending a national game show will boost his career prospects. Unfortunately, this puts him on a collision course with Alcala, a competitor whose growing body count proves that everyone in his path can be a liability.

As you might expect, Anna Kendrick plays her role in the film, playing a wannabe actress whose career ambitions bring her face to face with a killer, played brilliantly by Daniel Zovatto (a horror veteran who has played modern classics like It follows again The Pope’s Exorcist). The host of the show is played by Tony Hale, who is still well known for his comedy scene Arrested Development again Veep. Other major players in the Woman of the Hour includes Nicolette Robinson, Pete Holmes, and Kelley Jakle.

Sadly, Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut never hit theaters (it’s only on Netflix), which means there’s no real box office for it. We say “sadly” because the critics who impressed Kendrick would have really liked to see this movie on the big screen. On Rotten Tomatoes, Woman of the Hour it has a 91 percent critical score, with critics generally praising how the film creates a modern examination of misogyny and violence yet rooted in the tragedies of the past.

Besides that impressive Rotten Tomatoes score, why do we think you should check out Anna Kendrick’s first film? As a director, he manages to deliver a real chill that will stick with you long after the credits roll. The fact that he was able to do this in the dense genre of true crime is, frankly, very impressive, and his film (unlike many of its kind) never tries to entertain the real killer at its center.

Woman of the Hour and cleverly uses its narrative framework as a way to analyze how the violence of serial killers is often tied to the corruption of women in ways we are still trying to figure out today. It’s an important message for viewers to understand, but Anna Kendrick never comes across as a preacher or moral guide. Instead, he presents today’s horrors with yesterday’s perspective in a confident way that leaves us nonetheless apprehensive about what the future may hold.

To be honest, we’re still shocked by the fact that Anna Kendrick, already one of Hollywood’s most reliable talents, is equally talented as a director. Will you be impressed Woman of the Hour like we were when you streamed it on netflix? You won’t know until you find yourself (ahem) the perfect guide to your posture.