True crime fans likely already know the name Rodney Alcala and his incredibly vile acts in the ’70s. If you’re like me, you’ve even watched clips of The Dating Game episode he was on. This version of the story adds a new perspective: that of the woman who was his counterpart on that episode, Sherly Bradshaw.
Anna Kendrick plays the flustered actress who is ready to pack up and leave Hollywood after she gives it one last shot with an episode of The Dating Game. Woven into the story are scenes of Alcala using his M.O.—preying on vanity by asking women if he could photograph them to isolate women so he could rape and kill them. We also get the story of one young woman who used her wits to stay alive and escape.
The film comments on the male smarminess of the era and how easily manipulated people can be by shapeshifters like Alcala. Those who know the story aren’t going to learn anything that they don’t already know, but Kendrick is good here, and I’m never opposed to turning these stories away from the monsters behind them and shining the light on those they hurt and those who narrowly escaped them. (95-min.)
—Anna Starkey
This article appears in Nov 7-17, 2024.