Have a seat and let Lance Oppenheim’s “Primetime” take you on a journey through the life and mind of Robert Pattinson’s Chris Hansen, as his original show “To Catch a Predator” grows in popularity, and the mental toll of keeping up with network demands and the blurred line between reality and fiction slowly eats at his psyche.
“Primetime” is the first narrative feature film for Oppenheim, a director whose previous work mostly consisted of documentaries, although this isn’t something viewers would guess, as the craft on display is breathtaking.
The film’s lighting and color palette is especially a highlight. There is so much intentionality in the film’s use of shadows and the blue hue present in the film’s more solemn moments perfectly contrasts the comparatively lighthearted tone of the recreated segments from “To Catch a Predator.”
This all creates a fever dream-like aesthetic that matches the insanity of the “To Catch a Predator” premise, a choice that reflects the impressive job from Oppenheim and contributes to the beautiful style that he and cinematographer David Bolen create.
The surreal visual style also allows the film’s script to blend tones seamlessly. The film is undoubtedly a serious character study of Chris Hansen, but it also has a clear sense of humor and understands what made the show and Hansen entertaining enough for a primetime slot on NBC.
The script, penned by Ajon Singh and Luke Dittrich, also does a great job of portraying the nuanced discussion around the ethics of creating content about predator-catching, without sympathizing with the pedophiles caught by Hansen.
There’s a poignant line when Hansen tells one of his subordinates, “If you’re not with me, you’re with him,” referring to one of the titular predators being profiled on the show, perfectly capturing the lack of nuance that is usually present in these conversations that the film directly challenges.
The film is committed to having the difficult conversation surrounding the ethics of creating a jester out of these would-be child predators. Many will see it as portraying Hansen as a villain, but it’s more nuanced than that. The film believes that Chris wants to do good and he constantly sees a spirit that represents that “root of all evil” that he is chasing.
“Primetime” poses the question: “a what point is it more about receiving acclaim than achieving justice?” This inevitably leads to Hansen being portrayed in a “negative” way, but it’s more appropriate to say the film treats him as a real person with flaws.
Despite the technical brilliance, behind and with the camera, arguably the most impressive part of the screenplay under Oppenheim’s direction is the incredible performances from the cast.
Primetime is marketed as a vehicle for Robert Pattinson, whose performances in “The Drama” and “The Odyssey” have already solidified 2026 as an incredible year for him, and here he gives arguably his best performance out of that bunch.
His imitation of Hansen’s voice alone is enough to make it a memorable performance, but everything from his facial expressions to the way he moves and the line delivery is incredible.
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Pattinson elevates this portrayal from a mere imitation of real person to a three-dimensional performance that conveys the obsessive nature of Chris Hansen that blurred the line between a desire to do good and a quest for fame and acclaim. Pattinson is so showstopping that he almost overshadows his castmates, who are also doing incredible work.
Anna Farris’ limited role as Hansen’s wife Mary Joan is seen briefly and heard sporadically, but every time we do hear from her, it haunts the story and demonstrates how the obsession with the show caused Hansen to withdraw further from his family.
Skylar Gisondo’s Dan Plum, a fictional decoy based on the real life Dan Shrack, is the heart of the film and his character’s desire to be taken seriously as a performer beautifully parallels Hansen’s desire for “To Catch a Predator” to be taken seriously as both journalism and activism.
Gisondo’s performance also mirrors Phoebe Bridgers’ portrayal of Del Harvey, another decoy. The difference in approaches between a “trained actor,” as Plum attributes himself, and a self-proclaimed activist in Harvey was endlessly fascinating.
Merritt Wever and her portrayal of Andie Bender, a fictional producer, was also a standout. Watching her relatively mild-mannered performance as her character tries to rein in the insanity of Pattinson’s Hansen was interesting to see. Wever’s performance also does an excellent job contrasting the pride and turmoil that come with the thankless role of being a producer behind a show helmed by a large personality.
These performances are not only incredible displays of talent, but they elevate the film and make the serious discussion the film wants to spark work.
“Primetime” isn’t a film for everyone. Fans of Chris Hansen will, without a doubt, take offense to the lack of idolization he receives and reject the notion that there is any conversation to be had about the ethics of predator-catching content.
However, it excellently depicts Lance Oppenheim’s talent and that of his crew, who anchor the film with special performances, especially Robert Pattinson, one of Hollywood’s biggest stars who shines under the lights — or through the lack thereof — in “Primetime.”
Marley Herndon is a beat reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at culture@dailylobo.com or on X @Dailylobo
