The ‘true crime obsession’ is one of the most enduring trends of the digital age, with the online thirst for the violent, depraved and gory details have fuelled a craze that has no sign of slowing dow; even with the introduction of TikTok - a still relatively new platform - the interest has only increased as new podcasts and old crimes ‘refarmed’ for the current generation take up a significant portion of the online space. While shows like Dateline and Crimewatch were the original forums for these crimes to enter the public domain, albeit in a more informative way, there is one man who sought to reframe and arguably sensationalise humanity as its most dark and depraved: enter Chris Hansen.
Based on the true story, its rise and fall, the recent success of To Catch A Predator as a segment on NBC’s Dateline - a sting operation by a vigilante group named Perverted Justice, who sought to ensnare adults seeking to meet underage people for sex and filmed for television - Chris Hansen and his show are bumped up to primetime, a lucrative slot on television schedule that positions it for its highest ratings and acclaim yet. But the mounting pressure of scaling up the operation adds unforeseen pressure to the procedure that ultimately signals its downhill. Robert Pattinson leads as Hansen, with a supporting cast featuring Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, and Phoebe Bridgers in her acting debut.
A fantastically stylised and technically creative effort, Lance Oppenheim’s Primetime is a morally challenging yet remarkably thrilling examination of the cross-section between moral, law and justice, and a critique of the sensationalising of crime for the purpose of entertainment. Written by Ajon Singh, Primetime captures the cultural zeitgeist that was To Catch A Predator with focus and clarity, drilling into how its now-tarnished legacy came to redefine crime as entertainment. It places a fascinating microscope on Hansen and how his show's producing team would often disregard due diligence to chase the thrill, exploring abuse within its own ranks and leaving very few in a good light.
Avoiding the conventions of making a straightforward biopic, Primetime is approached, shot and stylised as a horror film, an incredibly smart decision that allows for greater creativity in mounting the project. Cinematographer David Bolen’s style is so central to the film’s success, utilising a 12 camera format alongside digital recordings to capture the show’s nature, adding a notably disarming atmosphere that throbs through the film’s 110 minute runtime. The recurring motif of static acts as a distortion, reflecting the themes of blurring the line between reality and fantasy explored in the screenplay, with Oppenheim's vision is so excellently realised and heightened just uncomfortably enough. This is all so enriched by an excellent score from Ari Balouzian, crafting a unique soundscape with a surreal edge that benefits the uncomfortable tone the film thrives by emitting.
Despite undergoing a personal banner year in Hollywood, Primetime could very well be a career-best for star Robert Pattinson, who captures Hansen’s steely disposition alongside his internal conflict - not one bothered with the moral and philosophical questions that hang over the picture, but one so concerned with oneself that his crusade becomes truly disconcerting. Pattinson gets under the skin of Hansen and slowly cracks the surface to let audience see beneath to reveal a deeply insecure man hellbent on crafting a world in his own flawed image. Even when the film tilts into the comedic aspect a little too heavily, Pattinson continually makes interesting artistic choices that deep it a thrilling, fascinating watch.
It's a uniformly excellent supporting cast on the whole, with two particular standouts performances: Merritt Wever continues to demonstrate that she is one of Hollywood's most untapped potentials, with a terrific turn that finds a sweet spot between her character's loathsome self-fulfilment and her recognition of the cycle of harm she feels somewhat trapped by, exploring the nuances of that predicament. Meanwhile, Skyler Gisondo plays Decoy Dan with a wide-eyed willingness that quickly dissolves into an internal conflict between right and wrong, good and bad.
With riveting work across the board, Lance Oppenheim's Primetime is a fascinating piece of media that scrutinises the grey areas with razor-sharp focus and an artistic confidence that ensures the film circumvents the tropes and cliches most real-life stories struggle with as they transition to the screen. Primetime is uniquely its own thing, tightly dialled-in to a pivotal moment in our culture that tackles moral and ethical questions that are still being kicked around today. Alongside star Robert Pattinson, Oppenheim has crafted a creative, fantastically stylised and thrillingly provocative feature that deserves to capture your attention.