Lance Oppenheim's film "Primetime" features Robert Pattinson as Chris Hansen, the journalist behind the controversial 2000s reality TV show "To Catch a Predator." The movie, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival, is a dark media satire that explores the shift in television programming during that era. Pattinson's portrayal of Hansen is described as extraordinary, presenting the character as a slippery, sometimes buffoonish, and sinister figure, with Oppenheim likening him to a mix of Jerry Maguire and Dracula.
The film delves into the origins of "To Catch a Predator," a segment of "Dateline NBC" that staged sting operations to expose would-be pedophiles. The script, written by Ajon Singh, highlights the urgency to beat "Lost" in the ratings, framing the show's move to a primetime slot as a turning point in television. Jeff Zucker, then-NBC head, plays himself in the film, expressing his personal dislike for the show but acknowledging its popularity and decision to move it to primetime.
"Primetime" critiques the show's impact, suggesting it fueled paranoia and vigilantism, and contributed to a new era of media sensationalism. While the film doesn't delve into Hansen's backstory, it presents a heightened, hallucinatory black comedy that is both believable and unsettling. Pattinson's performance avoids asking for sympathy for Hansen, instead inviting viewers to loathe him, yet it is considered a captivating and career-best performance. The film's message is clear: Hansen's motivations were driven by a desire for primetime success rather than a sacred calling.
The film uses grainy, saturated images to evoke the early 2000s and positions "To Catch a Predator" as a pivotal piece of media that marked the end of an old TV era and the beginning of a grim new age of reality television focused on sensationalism and public shaming. The movie suggests a sinister shift in the media landscape, where television became an arbiter of communal justice, capable of wrecking lives, warranted or not, through its capacity to seal fates on videotape. The film's critical perspective extends to the long-term consequences, including the rise of "Creep Catcher" groups and an insatiable appetite for public-shaming vigilantism.
