"You see how this looks, right?"
This frequent line in the popular early-2000s true crime show, "To Catch a Predator," has taken moviegoers by storm this past weekend.
This year is shaping up to have a generational run in cinema, and A24's "Primetime" is a prime example of the high-quality films seen this year.
Director Lance Oppenheim explores the fine line between journalism and entertainment with careful nuance, depicting what goes wrong when we aren't mindful of the potential consequences.
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"Primetime" follows Robert Pattinson starring as Chris Hansen, the host of Dateline NBC's "To Catch a Predator," in his professional endeavors during the rise of the show. His on-screen depiction displays inner struggles with TV ratings and ego, frequently calling back to other popular shows from the network around this time frame.
Audiences see the duality between Hansen's assured, on-camera persona and the heavy psychological impact his controversial line of work takes on him.
Pattinson is expected to be a top contender this year for many film awards, and this might be the one that lands him there. Audiences can see his devotion to the character as he perfects the real-life Hansen's mannerisms, even down to the eerily similar voice.
Skyler Gisondo, as seen in last year's "Superman," plays decoy Dan Plum. He works to lure predators into a situation where Hansen and authorities will ultimately confront them over their horrific actions.
Gisondo's performance is nothing short of anxiety-inducing, seamlessly allowing the audience to step into his character's role. The audience follows along as he starts his new position working as an actor on the show, filled with both intense and oddly comical scenes.
Grammy Award-winning artist Phoebe Bridgers also makes appearances as another decoy, Del Harvey. Based on an actual volunteer for a watchdog group, Bridgers' character sets the tone for how the predator-catching operations function.
Bridgers is also featured on the film's soundtrack. Her new song, titled "On Video," was released specifically for the movie.
Aside from transformative performances from the cast, within the first few minutes we experience one of the greatest needle drops of modern cinema. Fergie's "London Bridge" plays, garnering audience excitement and setting the mood for slight comedic undertones during the rest of the runtime.
But the film continues to stay centered around its plot — a dramatization of a true crime show.
The climax of the movie involves an actual situation that took place during the filming of the show, involving an assistant district attorney caught talking to a person he thought was a minor and his subsequent suicide.
It's a gruesome scene that depicts the realities of pedophile-hunting, showing how not everything is as simple as making an arrest.
The film conveys both heavy topics alongside moments to keep it lighter and hones in on a dark humor that engages the audience. It toes the line of social norms, with serious scenes featuring a comical undertone, daring us to question if it's socially acceptable to laugh aloud.
And that's part of what makes the film so interesting — it rides the line of controversy, which is exactly what "To Catch a Predator" did.
Following its release, the film has created a loud spectacle of online debate, centering conversations on whether people are media literate enough to understand the themes communicated.
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Hansen has spoken out against A24's depiction of his show on his YouTube channel. The widely-known TV host joined Fox News political commentator Jesse Watters for an interview surrounding his own opinion on the film and conducted street interviews himself after watching to understand the audience's general perspective.
"Primetime" is in no way a clear-cut film. In fact, it reinforces the idea of how two things can be true at once.
The film does not suggest that Hansen's line of work is wrong, but instead depicts what can backfire when such a nuanced societal problem turns into something for people to find enjoyable in their free time.
The act of outing these criminals is a positive for society, but the way in which they're confronted can come across as exploitative to victims.
The film highlights the deep-rooted issue of the need to sensationalize content — even if it's one of the most harrowing crimes. People find entertainment in suffering, and TV networks are more than willing to design content to cash in on an audience's need to be amused.
With unique camera angles, difficult dialogue, brave creative choices and an indie feel, "Primetime" sparks intense conversation and encourages audiences to critically think about real-world issues.
Oppenheim's latest work is, undeniably, A24 at its roots.
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Edited by Sam Troester, Carsten Oyer, Senna James and Sophia Keeling.
Reach the reporter at evwestfa@asu.edu and follow @ellwestfall on X.
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Ellie Westfall is a Reporter for The Echo at The State Press. This is her first semester working with The State Press, and she is in her second year at ASU with a double major in Journalism and Political Science.
