Another exhibit in the “Frontline” is better than network news magazine shows folder.
“Primetime” is a film centering on “To Catch a Predator,” a series part of NBC’s news magazine show “Dateline,” which boasted massive ratings for the Peacock channel in the mid 2000s. The film picks up with the series having established success and being bumped to a primetime slot to compete for the highest view share.
Driving a lot of success is host Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson), who’s become consumed the ratings success, and the thrill of the hunt, so to speak, in exposing the men looking to meet minors. As the show gets bigger, it hires a young actor, Dan (Skyler Gisondo), to play a decoy. While he’s initially excited about the job, Dan begins to question the tactics of Hansen and the TCAP crew.
“Primetime” is a film with plenty to say, and what it’s talking about is on point. But how it says it is where things are a bit more hit or miss. On the positive side, “Primetime” takes aim the concept of media sensationalism, especially during the 2000s. The film comments on this a bit with background discussions of the wars taking place, but it could have gone further, too.
Along with the War in Iraq, where no weapons of mass destruction were found, there were also the Abu Ghraib torture incident, the response to Hurricane Katrina, the impact of the Bush Tax cuts, the problems with No Child Left Behind, the predatory lending during the subprime mortgage era and the impact of drug prices on seniors from the 2003 Medicare bill.
Plus, “To Catch a Predator” was very much about crime, but “Dateline” didn’t do much digging into the negative impacts of the 1990s crime bill or the militarization of police after 9/11. While all that was happening during that decade, “Dateline,” and other shows like it, were more concerned with a new form of “if it bleeds, it leads.”
That’s somewhat shown here, especially in how it centers on Hansen’s obsession-like focus on driving ratings while also having a drive to humiliate the creeps featured on the show. However, there’s a sense the movie could have went deeper in this commentary on media ethics.
In looking back at the film, it’s easy to remember a debate from 2015’s “Spotlight.” One character makes the argument that they should publish the story they have immediately because it would take down an individual accused of abuse. The editor then responds that the point of the coverage is to get “the system.”
That’s something “To Catch a Predator” didn’t seem as concerned with. Having constant sting operations led to entertainment but lacked a greater journalistic effort into larger factors. There’s also the fact that after their programs aired, there were mixed results in terms of actual justice.
At the center of this was a man who had a journalistic track record, too. Hansen had previously covered the Columbine massacre, the Oklahoma City Bombing and did plenty of work in the aftermath of 9/11. He received awards for that coverage. How Hansen went from this type of reporter to a man with a single focus and questionable ethical approaches is interesting.
As previously mentioned, the way the movie goes about capturing all of this has its ups and downs. On the one hand, the film does explore the sensationalism of the media, and it makes note of Hansen becoming narrow in his focus when it comes to what he wanted to cover. The situations resulting from this are interesting to watch unfold and keep a viewer hooked in.
At the same time, there’s a bit missing, too. Director Lance Oppenheim and writer Ajon Singh put a lot of comedic beats in the picture, and have moments of that either feel melodramatic or exaggerated. It makes the movie itself feel somewhat sensationalist in its own right, which takes away from all the serious subjects that are being covered here.
That extends to Hansen, too. There are several points where the host is played up to nearly cartoonish levels in terms of his personality and motivation, to where it actually lessens critique or insight into the man. Plus, the film has an entire subplot about an affair he’s in, and it’s as if the creative team wanted it to paint him in a bad, almost hypocritical light, but that doesn’t really work when the comparison are still predators.
That’s not to take away from Pattinson’s performance. The actor is rather good in all of his moments on screen, lending intensity to his scenes, keeping a viewer well engaged. That’s true with the rest of the cast, too, as Gisondo does well as the decoy actor. Merritt Wever is solid as the NBC producer, too.
In addition to its cast putting in good work, the movie also benefits from a distinct style, too. Oppenheim’s film has a grainy look and color palette that makes it feel like you’re watching something on an older TV from the era. It not only brings back memories of what television looked like at the time, but creates a moody aesthetic, playing into the subject matter.
As a look inside one of America’s most notable series from the 2000s, “Primetime” is fairly compelling and entertaining thanks to its artistry and performances.
Those elements, along with the general fascination in going behind the scenes on a program that captured the public’s attention for better and for worse, do in fact make “Primetime” an above average watch. However, the picture also lacks a deeper, more sophisticated and encompassing approach for a greater movie. 3.4 out of 5.
Photo courtesy A24
