Robert Pattinson is no longer just the guy from “Twilight” or the Hufflepuff heartthrob in “Harry Potter.” His 2026 run has solidified him as a great actor, and his unhinged portrayal as Chris Hansen in “Primetime” is no exception.
“Primetime” is a psychological thriller directed by Lance Oppenheim with a star-studded cast alongside Pattinson, including Skyler Gisondo, Merritt Wever and indie-alternative singer Phoebe Bridgers in her feature-film debut. The movie tells a heavily fictionalized story of the production behind the show “To Catch a Predator,” a show in which the team conducts sting operations against grown men who try to meet underage children with decoy actors who are of age.
While the majority of the film’s events are fictionalized, much to the scrutiny of the real-life Chris Hansen, the movie is an enjoyable yet uncomfortable two hours, which is exactly what I look for in a psychological thriller.
The movie deals with sensitive subject matter in a way that balances dark humor, moments that reflect genuine emotion between characters and social commentary surrounding what the entertainment industry decides to turn into a spectacle.
In the age of social media, this movie made me think about how much the entertainment industry has developed in the past 20 years. The film is set in 2006, a time when reality television was at its peak. Back then, real people being filmed was a big deal, a flex of the technological advancements that began to make TV so applicable. These days, it is easy for anyone to pick up a camera and start filming.
The movie asks the question about the moral implications of mixing TV and ratings with more serious subjects, like the sexual exploitation of minors. In the social media age, it is so much easier for people to do this by mixing lavish makeup tutorials with true crime storytime and Ryan Murphy terrorizing us all with overly sexual shows about famous serial killers.
“Primetime”, although set in a different time, asks its audience if the need for views and ratings desensitizes us to these serious topics in our world.
Yes, bringing awareness to these issues is good, and unlike certain Instagram comments I have seen, I do not think the movie is trying to victimize pedophiles and villainize investigative journalists like Hansen. But it does show the blurry lines between education and awareness and sensationalizing real-world evils for content.
If you’re looking for a Chris Hansen biopic about the making of “Predator,” “Primetime” is not the movie for you. But if you’re willing to look past the real-life inaccuracies and dramatizations, it is a visually stunning film with great performances from everyone involved.
