‘Primetime’ Review: The Dark Side of Must-See Television

Film synopsis: Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson), host of To Catch a Predator, sets out to make television history in 2006.

To Catch a Predator isn’t a show I’d say I grew up watching, but rather one I was familiar with growing up. I understand the importance of the work Chris Hansen was doing, exposing individuals, primarily men, who were attempting to meet minors they had contacted online for sex. Anyone familiar with the show knows exactly how it worked. Hansen and his team would lure these individuals into a house, confront them on camera, and expose them to the entire world. It was a television phenomenon, but one that also raises some interesting questions about the line between investigative journalism and entertainment.

This film is a cold look behind the scenes of one of the most successful reality television shows of all time, Primetime explores the world of To Catch a Predator and the man at the center of it all. What makes this movie so fascinating is how it pulls back the curtain on a show that became such a cultural phenomenon, revealing the uncomfortable reality of turning these investigations into entertainment. There’s something deeply unsettling about the entire concept, and the film does a really solid job of capturing that.

Now that said, I really do believe that Robert Pattinson is coming for that Oscar, and he’s gonna have one very soon. Primetime might just be his best performance yet, and considering the incredible work he’s already put out, that’s saying something. Pattinson is absolutely incredible as Hansen. I truly believe he gets better with every role he takes on, and we still have Dune: Part Three arriving this Christmas season. He has this ability to disappear into a character, and his performance here is another reminder of just how much range he has as an actor. I say this almost every time I see him, but if you had told me 20 years ago that the guy playing Edward Cullen in Twilight would become one of my favorite working actors today, I probably would’ve hit whoever told me that. But here we are. Robert Pattinson is indeed one of my favorite actors working today. 

There’s a quiet intensity to his portrayal of Hansen. You can see just how badly he wants his show to succeed, but Pattinson also plays him in a way that shows how much he loses himself in the process. This is serious stuff he’s catching these men doing, yet we also get to see what happens behind the scenes, including Hansen practicing his dialogue before entering the room. It’s a fascinating detail that really drives home how these investigations have become another form of entertainment. Pattinson commands your attention without ever feeling like he’s trying  too hard, and I really think this could be the performance that finally earns him an Oscar nomination to say the least. I mean, his voice even sounds just like Chris Hansen, so much so that when I saw the trailer initially, I couldn’t believe it was Pattinson speaking. 

Now, outside of Pattinson, truly, everyone here is phenomenal, but Merritt Wever and Skyler Gisondo are the scene-stealers alongside him. Wever plays Hansen’s show producer, while Gisondo plays Dan Plumb, one of the young decoys whom we really get to know throughout the film.

Dan is an aspiring actor who thinks he’s finally made it big when he lands the role of a 13-year-old decoy on the show. But much like Hansen, who is constantly looking for validation from others, Dan is searching for reassurance that his acting is actually working. When his friends tell him, “You’re on screen for like two seconds. It’s not really acting,” they make him feel almost embarrassed about the whole thing. It leaves him questioning whether being part of the show is even the right move for his acting career after all. What I really enjoyed about Dan’s story is how it parallels Hansen’s own desire for success and recognition. They’re both looking for validation, just in very different ways. And luckily for Dan, things do pay off in the end. No spoilers! Overall, Primetime has an incredibly strong ensemble, and I really appreciated how much the supporting cast contributes to the overall experience.

I’m also about positive this is one of the best-looking movies of the year. The cinematography is absolutely gorgeous, but what I love most is how the visual style complements the story. There’s a coldness and graininess to the entire film that makes everything feel just a little more uncomfortable, while the colors are absolutely eye-popping. The atmosphere is incredible, and so much of that comes down to how carefully everything is framed and presented. I think director Lance Oppenheim has brought quite a vision to the screen, and it’s one that really makes this film stand out.

Now, of course, the show eventually came to an abrupt end following an incident involving one of the busts they were filming, referred to throughout the film as “The Whale.” Essentially, this was supposed to be the bust that would put the show over the edge, potentially making it even bigger than Lost, which was one of the biggest shows on the network at the time. But just when Hansen and his team think they’ve finally caught their whale, things take a turn that changes everything.

The film explores all of this, and I think it’s fascinating how we get to see the pressure surrounding the show’s success and just how far everyone is willing to go to keep that momentum going. What starts as an effort to expose these individuals becomes something much bigger, and the line between doing important investigative work and creating must-see television becomes increasingly blurred. I won’t spoil exactly how everything unfolds, but I really appreciated how the film explores the consequences of that ambition and what happens when the pursuit of the next big television moment begins to overshadow the work itself.

In the end, though, Primetime did exactly what it needed to do. Between Pattinson’s performance, the phenomenal supporting cast, and the overall look of the film, there’s so much here that I absolutely loved. It’s a fascinating look at the world of reality television and the lengths people will go to in pursuit of success. This is easily one of the more memorable moviegoing experiences I’ve had this year.

I really enjoyed this one.

Rating:

4/5

Disclaimer: All images used in this review are © of A24 and are included for review, commentary, and editorial purposes only.

Primetime arrives in theaters this Friday, September 25