Primetime: Film Gang Review

Primetime, directed by Lance Oppenheim and distributed by A24, invites a deeper look into performative morality and what those in the entertainment industry will do for ratings.

Based on the 2007 Esquire article Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die by Luke Dittrich, the film follows the production of the reality television series To Catch a Predator.

Chris Hansen, played by Robert Pattinson, does not disappoint. He dramatically feigns interest in catching bad guys trolling young teens on the internet. Pattinson has been busy of late…think, The Odyssey, The Drama, Die My Love and Mickey 17.

While dealing with a tough subject, Pattinson distracts the audience with his character’s personal obsession with notoriety and nobility. In the process, he becomes the contradiction at the heart of this sad premise for a television show.

As a reminder, true crime and reality TV were popping up everywhere. Streaming, quality binge-worthy shows, and movie-quality television had not yet widely reached mainstream viewing patterns, leaving plenty of room for more sensationalized fare. The audience response to To Catch a Predator was so strong that the network put the show up against Lost on Thursday nights.

Merritt Wever plays the show’s head producer. You may recall her from Nurse Jackie, for which she won two Emmys. Her acting style is natural and approachable, but underneath, she is a complex character. To the audience’s surprise, she evokes a wounded animal in a rough business, one that then preys upon others to satisfy her ratings goals.

Skyler Gisondo earns his acting chops as Dan Plum, a young aspiring actor hired for the show’s sting operations and trying to earn his SAG card by getting a “speaking part” on a television show. His “decoy” performance is both humorous and heartbreaking—a performance that stays with you after the movie ends.

It is obvious that Oppenheim takes creative license with the characters and events in making the film. This is displayed in Pattinson’s psychotic dream sequences, the campy portrayal of a local sheriff’s department, and the parade of caricatured predators.

I did not find the creative direction distracting, as the film accomplishes its central themes: performative morality, winning the ratings game, and trying to break the mold of television offerings circa 2006.

For KSQD’s Film Gang: Susan Lovegren.