If there’s one thing I’ll support, it’s Robert Pattinson getting the opportunity to portray a character who, to quote Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne, is not afraid to “get nuts.” Friends, it’s been a long time since Twilight and Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire, and I love the performer Robert Pattinson is growing into. 

I walked into Primetime not sure what to expect.

The plot revolves around the NBC television series To Catch a Predator that ran on the network between 2004 and 2007. As the film opens, we find the show, led by journalist Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson), reaching new heights. The hidden camera show is heading to primetime, where it’ll be airing head-to-head with Lost. 

Anyone who remembers the early 2000s knows how intimidating that would be. I, my friends, remember the decade. I’m familiar with Lost… however, the frivolous twenty-something that I was didn’t pay attention to Chris Hansen, Dateline, or To Catch a Predator. I remember they exist… I just must have just been watching something else. 

Now, with all that being said, Primetime is a cynical jerk of a movie, and I’m obsessed. I wasn’t expecting to say that. 

Anyone diving into the coverage of this movie is going to see dozens of reviews raving about Pattinson’s eccentric performance. Don’t misunderstand me, he flipping deserves it. I wish I could have seen the work he put in behind the scenes to get into whatever freaky zone he was in. He’s reaching another level here. 

Robert Pattinson is leading a dynamic cast that absolutely chews the scenery in the best ways possible. Merritt Wever brings producer Andie Bender to life with fascinating contradictions. Meanwhile, I realized that I wasn’t giving Skyler Gisondo enough credit. His work as Dan Plumb digs deep into some emotional places that are decidedly not easy. Gisondo isn’t simply the Jimmy Olsen teen star I’d previously thought he was. Then there’s Matthew Maher, who’s equally capable of stealing scenes, even opposite Pattinson’s frenetic force. 

Musician Phoebe Bridgers, meanwhile, stands out as the moral compass in this decidedly murky film. The musician aces what looks to be her debut feature film, and I’m excited to see more. 

I’ve stumbled on a lot of fascinating analysis over the last few weeks talking about To Catch a Predator and the cultural love Hansen received for catching these predators. I was a kid in the chatroom era… I’ve heard all the horror stories. 

I love that Primetime doesn’t simply follow the expected storyline. This is a movie about 2000s-era reality TV.  Think of the shows that were on during this time: Beauty and the Geek, The Swan… who remembers Joe Millionaire? Reality TV during this era was a weird, scary, and decidedly dirty place. 

Primetime is smart enough to acknowledge that this isn’t simply a journalism story. Chris Hansen, yes, is a journalist. However, we see him in Primetime reaching new levels. He’s facing questions about ratings. There’s growing pressure to find something big. His team is questing to shock their audience, to make them angry… maybe even titillate them. I know, icky.

Throughout the film, though, I couldn’t shake the feeling that these characters knew how terrible they were. They’re just really good at compartmentalizing those feelings. The show needs to get made. Something needs to fill the airtime. They can feel things later. 

Primetime shows To Catch a Predator as a runaway train with a cast and crew that don’t see the problem until it’s too late. Everyone wants success, whether you’re the lowliest actor or a tenacious network producer. They’re swallowed up in success. Primetime is at its best in the moments when it walks that tightrope, those fleeting moments when the crew stops and thinks things through. Just as quickly, though, they remember they have a job to do. 

Primetime is a movie that’s going to frustrate people, probably Chris Hansen most of all. This movie is a pitch-black take on 2000s reality TV, warts and all. This is a work that doesn’t allow itself to get swallowed by the message or the quest. Chris Hansen was loved. To Catch a Predator addressed strong fears of the time. However, Primetime is keenly aware that success corrupts. There’s a line between journalism and entertainment, and it’s genuinely unsettling to watch just how blurry that line can be.  You might need a shower afterward, but check this one out. 

Primetime opens in theaters nationwide on September 25, 2026.