'Primetime' review: Robert Pattinson enters the murky, sleazy world of 'To Catch a Predator' as Chris Hansen

Robert Pattinson transports you into a sleazy fever dream in mere moments in his latest film, Primetime, centred on the 2000s Dateline NBC series To Catch a Predator, hosted by Chris Hansen (played by Pattinson).

In a fictionalized account of the circumstances that led to this show's popularity and its impact on the people who worked on the series, director Lance Oppenheim leans into the icky factor of this entire story.

Equally as engrossing as it is disturbing, Prietime looks at To Catch a Predator through a critical lens on Hansen and the individuals behind the show, as well as on the audience who tuned in.

Primetime release date: Sept. 25 in theatresDirector: Lance OppenheimCast: Robert Pattinson, Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Matthew Maher, and Bokeem WoodbineWriter: Ajon SinghRuntime: 1 hour, 50 minutes

Primetime is set in 2006, when Chris Hansen hosted the hidden camera show that lured alleged child predators, based on online chat logs, exposing them on the show before they were immediately arrested.

To Catch a Predator faced significant controversy, including a moment explored in the film when Louis William "Bill" Conradt Jr., an assistant district attorney in Texas, died by suicide as the Murphy Police Department and the To Catch a Predator camera crew arrived at his home. The script for Primetime was based on an Esquire article titled article title "Tonight On Dateline, This Man Will Die," specifically about Conradt Jr.'s death and the end of To Catch a Predator.

Primetime begins as Hansen gets a big break in his TV career, landing a prime-time slot for his series, working with producer Andie Bender (Merritt Wever), as the film examines exactly how far Hansen and the crew were willing to go to keep the viewership numbers rising.

As the show gains more attention, we meet Dan (Skyler Gisondo), an aspiring actor with a youthful appearance, who is hired as a decoy, alongside Del, played by Phoebe Bridgers in her first acting role. While Dan just wants to get his SAG card, he didn't fully understand what this role would entail.

Meanwhile, Hansen is facing a possible exposé running in the National Enquirer about his infidelity, as he continues to ignore calls from his wife, played by Anna Ferris.

Throughout the film, a core questions is how far Hansen is willing to go for fame.

While Hansen called Pattinson's performance "detached from reality," Pattinson's work in Primetime is captivating, eerie and mesmerizing, from his voice to how he carries himself. Particularly as he reads out chat messages sent from the men they lured to their filming location.

But all the performances in Primetime really resonate. From the way Skyler Gisondo shows how uncomfortable Dan is with his job on the show and how that evolves throughout his time on the series, to Merritt Wever perfectly playing that line of a producer who very much knows what she needs to do for the show, and Hansen, to succeed. While we also get moments of her battling with her own morals.

That's assisted by the work of cinematographer David Bolen, a long-time collaborator with Oppenheim. They not only capture the texture of this 2000s hidden camera environment, but also add these dizzying moments that feel like hallucinations, leaning into the nightmare-ish feel of the whole film.

And Ari Balouzian's haunting score elevates every psychological thriller element of Primetime, always making the viewer feel uneasy watching each moment.

Primetime could have gone deeper into the ethical complexity of To Catch a Predator and the impact on Hansen himself, rather than a more simplified exploration of his quest for fame. But in a world where, even after the show was cancelled, To Catch a Predator memes lived on for years, and as the film raises questions about not just the ethics of creating the sensationalistic show, but watching it, this movie also proves that we haven't really evolved or learned much since the 2000s.