The Real Story Behind Robert Pattinson’s New Film Primetime

After his turn as a cowardly schemer in “The Odyssey,” Robert Pattinson (40) now faces “Primetime.” In Lance Oppenheim’s feature debut, he plays a seemingly principled TV host whose reality show has set its sights on catching pedophiles. Yet in the race for attention and ratings, he gradually loses his moral compass. The film is loosely based on true events and arrives in German cinemas on September 24.

Hansen is the face of “To Catch A Predator,” a reality-format built around luring alleged pedophiles with decoys and then exposing the encounters on camera for public consumption. The initial moral crusade quickly morphs into a machine where power reigns: together with his producer Andie (Merritt Wever) and increasingly at the expense of young actor Dan (Skyler Gisondo), the career-hungry journalist pushes pressure and ratings higher and higher, until it becomes a full-blown addiction.

Does the end justify the means?

Hansen finds himself increasingly confronted by demonic specters of his own making. In pursuit of the big score—a high-profile accused individual—the team finally ventures into conservative Texas. The events there leave an enduring imprint on television as a whole.

That Pattinson can portray both the duplicitous moralist and the flawed hero has already been proven in the dark thriller “The Devil All the Time” and in his portrayal of a fraught vigilante in “The Batman.” In “Primetime,” he succumbs to the lure of sensationalism, notoriety, and power. Self-justification collides with self-display.

He also treads in familiar territory with a nod to the 2014 standout “Nightcrawler,” which—told through the lens of a sensationalist cameraman—delivered a caustic take on the U.S. media landscape where morality is routinely sacrificed for ratings and clicks.

The Real-Life Backstory

The film is anchored in the real NBC program “To Catch a Predator,” which ran from 2004 to 2007. Even while it aired, ethical concerns and criticism mounted over the show’s tendency to pass judgment quickly and to glamorize vigilante justice.

The peak of the controversy came with the Texas events, which serve as the film’s crucial turning point and are not discussed in detail here. In real life, the outcome included the show’s cancellation and a court case against NBC, which the network settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.

At its world premiere during the Venice Film Festival, “Primetime” already left a strong impression, earning an eight-minute standing ovation. Among the film’s outspoken critics is the real Chris Hansen, which few could predict would be the case.