In 2006, To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen sets out to make television history.
Chuck says:
Much like its subject matter, Lance Oppenheim’s “Primetime,” manipulates the viewer at every turn. And while the intent may be different, the result is no less lurid or undisputed. Purposely, the film plays out like a piece of sensationalism found in “The National Enquirer,” exaggerating pieces of the narrative, conveniently omitting others, all in the name of presenting a slanted fact-based story. Were its subject in the least bit sympathetic, there’d be a chorus of objections to Oppenheim’s work. That not being the case, audiences will likely revel in this instance of the chickens coming home to roost.
The film opens with a recreation from the “To Catch a Predator” segment from NBC’s “news” program “Dateline.” For those unfamiliar with this particularly heinous piece of television, it was a hidden camera piece that recorded the arrival of men who’d been lured by an on-line decoy with promises of sex with a person, who they thought, was underage. Upon arriving, they would be confronted by “reporter” Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson), who would revel in the uncomfortable nature of the situation, question just why the men were there and soon turn them over to the police.
It comes as no surprise that the American public, circa 2006, is eating this up, so much so, Hansen is offered his own primetime show built around this concept. And while dollar signs motivate him, it’s the fame that tempts him most, driving him to come up with something more sensational. His producer, Andie Bender (Merritt Wever) is as ruthless as he is and has no qualms about getting the most perverted targets in their crosshairs.
Whether what Hansen and his crew were doing was morally justified or not, whether what they were involved in was entrapment is a discussion for another forum. There’s little doubt where Oppenheim stands regarding these issues, his sympathy lying with the program’s targets, his portrayal of Hansen, monstrous.
Purposely grainy, the aesthetic has a seedy look to it, underscoring the sordid nature of the “Predator” program and those who produce it. An excellent Pattinson takes a cool approach to Hansen, portraying him as vapid and bloodless, employing a reptilian demeanor when in front of the camera, becoming an immature child away from it. Often cast in cool blues, his cold nature becomes more exaggerated as the film progresses, any semblance of a soul he may have possessed eventually leeched away in his pursuit of validation.
Dan Plum is the conscience of the piece, a young actor hired as the decoy used to lure the unsuspecting into “Predator’s” den. Thinking he’s gotten his big break, he sees his stint on the show as a launching pad for his acting career. Initially seduced by the attention he receives, he ultimately begins to question his role on the show and whether the kind of justice their dispensing justifies the “crimes” being committed. It’s an intriguing subplot that keeps the film afloat when it begins to falter and Skyler Gisondo delivers a moving performance as Plum.
“Primetime” ultimately overstays its welcome but its unflinching examination of this particular chapter of tabloid television keeps us hooked until the end. As such, we’re not much better than “Predator’s” viewers, eager to witness the public downfall of a subject we’ve been manipulated into hating. And yet what ultimately befalls Hansen seems unjust. That he would go on to find continued success in other television arenas after “Predator’s” demise is hardly the kind of feel-good story viewers demand.
3 Stars
