STORYLINE: In 2006, To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen sets out to make television history.  (IMDb).   

    In 1998, the world watched as Jim Carrey brought The Truman Show to cinemas.  Peter Finch had film goers turning their gaze towards network news in Network (1976).  The game show was being rigged in 1994’s Quiz Show.  A reality tv show, and it’s host, take the cinematic spotlight in the new biopic Primetime.

    Investigative journalism has been the heart of such films George Clooney’s Good Night & Good Luck (2005) and the 2015 best picture winner Spotlight.  Primetime, a true story about investigative journalism, tells the story of the hit investigative show To Catch a Predator, and its creator Chris Hansen, play by Robert Pattinson. 

     Primetime is a challenging motion picture, to watch.  It is a movie that is a behind the scenes look at a show that capitalizes on a fascination with danger and an uncomfortable topic in society.  The movie is designed to be challenging.

   The behind the scenes sequences of To Catch a Predator where disturbing, at times, they were also interesting.  The film went into depth about the process the show went through to be created, and it’s rise to fame.  Primetime showed the drive each of the central characters had to achieve personal success.  The most interesting parts were how, a show about catching child predators, played out on the mental state of central players, of the show.

    Breaking it down, Primetime is a cookie cutter biopic, as well.  The chain of events in the core characters lives were shown, as they related to the success of To Cath a Predator.  Then the other shoe dropped, and the effects of the  success of the show was shown has it effected the lives of the core characters.  The story is told in a straightforward, linear fashion.    Still, within the boundaries of that model, Primetime established itself as an interesting motion picture. 

    It’s been a year, for lead Robert Pattinson. He gas been in the independent film The Drama as well as the blockbuster juggernaut The Odyssey. I enjoy his work, and enjoy seeing him go back and forth between small independent films, and major blockbusters.  I have said it before, I am a fan of the Twilight films.  I like that he also does interesting features like The Lighthouse (2019) and Primetime.

   Primetime is a cookie cutter biopic, anchored by a great performance by Robert Pattinson. Though it is a but tough to watch it is well worth It.

   Until next time, I will see you at the movies!