Anna Kendrick as Cheryl in “Rodney & Sheryl”
Following Zoë Kravitz’s directorial debut “Blink Twice” in September, October brings us Anna Kendrick, an actress well-known for her comedic roles (“Pitch Perfect,” “Up in the Air,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World”), stepping behind the camera. What’s surprising is that Kendrick’s directorial debut, “Rodney & Sheryl,” isn’t a lighthearted comedy, but a disturbing and realistic thriller, as chilling as the controversial “Terrifier 3.” “Rodney & Sheryl” is based on the true story of Rodney Alcala, a serial killer who murdered at least 170 young women and girls in America during the late 1970s. New information about his potential victims continues to surface. Unlike Ted Bundy, who operated in a different part of the country around the same time, Alcala had a unique detail in his biography: in 1978, he appeared on and won the popular TV show “The Dating Game,” where a woman blindly chose one of three men. Miraculously, the contestant avoided becoming one of Alcala’s victims. This film tells her story.
Anna Kendrick as Cheryl in “Rodney & Sheryl”
“Rodney & Sheryl” centers on Cheryl Bradshaw (Anna Kendrick), an aspiring actress struggling to make it in show business. Instead of landing coveted roles, she faces lewd propositions and ridicule. After another failed audition, Cheryl receives a call from her agent, offering her a spot on a popular romantic TV show. No special acting skills are required; she just needs to smile, ask the contestants pre-written questions, and encourage the men to open up. Once under the spotlight, Cheryl unexpectedly deviates from the script and takes initiative, which unsettles the producers but delights viewers tired of the predictable format. Everything seems fine until after the show, when one of the contestants, photographer Rodney Alcala (Daniel Zovatto), persistently asks Cheryl out to dinner, and she’s not particularly keen on being alone with him.
Anna Kendrick as Cheryl in “Rodney & Sheryl”
A Standout Directorial Debut
“Rodney & Sheryl” is arguably the most remarkable directorial debut of the year, standing out from Dev Patel’s “Monkey Man,” Chris Pine’s “Poolman,” and Zoë Kravitz’s “Blink Twice.” Anna Kendrick’s retro-thriller is most comparable to the recent horror film “Late Night with the Devil,” which also takes place on the set of a popular TV show. Like the Cairns brothers, Kendrick uses stylization, favoring wide-angle lenses, carefully selecting sets, and striving to immerse viewers in the era’s atmosphere.
Delving into Darkness
The script of “Rodney & Sheryl” extends beyond the TV screen, jumping back and forth in time to capture as many details as possible from the killer’s dark past. As an intelligent and charismatic man, Alcala lured women with deceptively kind words and seemingly noble gestures. He appeared completely normal until he decided to strike. “Rodney & Sheryl” focuses on the chronology of Alcala’s crimes: each close-up and strikingly realistic scene of assault is morally difficult to watch. Kendrick consciously avoids exploiting graphic violence, masterfully recreating a sense of paralyzing fear on screen – both as an actress and as a director. The “peeping camera” technique forces viewers to feel like participants in the events, without the ability to change anything.
Themes of Sexism and Societal Neglect
A recurring theme throughout the film is sexism, evident in the TV show producers’ attempts to turn Cheryl Bradshaw into a vapid doll, and in the police officers who dismiss the women’s complaints about the attacker. Notably, Rodney Alcala was released on bail after his first arrest, allowing him to kill a woman and a child. However, Anna Kendrick doesn’t try to further exacerbate gender contradictions (as if it were possible); the male characters in “Rodney & Sheryl” – vulgar, indifferent, insecure, detached, distrustful, or overtly narcissistic – still seem like a safer company compared to the endlessly refined and polite killer, who is pleasing to the ear and makes no mistakes.