Trigger Warning: mentions of sexual violence
*Spoiler Alert: reveals main plot points and ending
“Primetime”, a.k.a. the most optimal time to have a TV show aired to the world, is one of the most coveted opportunities that a television show can receive. In the cutthroat world of reality TV, the more “primetime” your show is, the larger your audience, and the greater your chances are of reaching millions. You might think that the most popular shows would offer an equivalent amount of intellectual stimulation and quality. In reality, it’s all about the drama; the spectacle, the shock value, and the perverse nature of what we can’t seem to take our eyes off of. This infatuation is what some call the real appeal of Chris Hansen’s Dateline NBC show, To Catch a Predator.Â
When I saw the trailer for this movie, the genre of this “biopic” was sort of lost on me. Was it supposed to be about Chris Hansen’s rise to celebrity status? Was it about the creation of the show itself? Was it going to be realistic? After watching the film, I’ll say that the answer to that is: yes. Played by Robert Pattinson, the dynamic star of so many films this past year, Pattinson literally embodies this role, down to a precise impression of Hansen’s recognizable voice. Introduced in 2004, To Catch a Predator was a hidden camera reality show created to lure in unsuspecting child predators to staged locations to meet up with the child they had been messaging online. The role of the “child” in all of these scenarios, played by professional actors dressed as children, is arguably the focal point of this movie. These actors have the job of “sealing the deal”, if you will, or perfecting their impression of an innocent and vulnerable child just well enough to keep the predator on the premises, knowing that the final element of the show, or the “gotcha” moment, was always to be delivered by Chris Hansen. The actor would make up an excuse to leave the room, and Hansen would enter, leaving viewers on the edge of their seats, waiting for him to heroically expose the horrific nature of their crime, script and all. To the satisfaction of viewers, the episode always ended by arresting the criminal, convincing the audience that Hansen had single-handedly brought a monster to justice.
This movie is primarily about the making of the Dateline NBC show and its rise to popularity through the vision of Hansen, who plays the host and main “perpetrator”, if you will, of the criminals that he apprehends. This is what drives the aspects of the film that make it appear to be a type of “biopic” of Hansen’s life. However, it’s hard to say that this movie is a true depiction of his career, considering the extent to which it dramatizes Hansen’s personal life and psychological struggles. Chris Hansen himself even refused to endorse the movie, claiming that the portrayal was over-dramatic, and that he was never consulted about the interpretation of the story. Much of the speculation that Hansen expressed revolved around the unquestionable demonization of his personal character, creating a secondary storyline about Hansen’s deeply disturbed mind.Â
Primetime does an excellent job of exploring the deeply troubling undertones related to sexual violence and predatory intent, but the direction of the storyline takes an unexpected turn into the psyche of Chris Hansen himself, where his obsession with catching these predators turns into more than just a plotline; he is completely consumed by it. As you watch Hansen descend into darkness, the real horror that unfolds in Hansen’s mind shatters our once heroic vision of Hansen, leaving the audience with the question; who should we really be afraid of? Much of this deep disturbance is rooted in Hansen’s belief that there is a “greater evil” that lives among humanity, one that far surpasses human intention — and even personification. This monstrous concept of child predation morphs into an actual demonic figure, relentlessly haunting Hansen, plunging him further into psychological distress. What I can appreciate about this film is the way the director, Lance Oppenheim, plays with the reflection of physiological fear — often what scares us the most is what has the capacity to be drawn from within the dimmed corners of our subconscious. Oppenheim plays with these struggles, alluding to the cruel capabilities that lie within each of us.Â
Towards the end of the film, Hansen is facing two villains: a predatory politician and the devilish creature that haunts him. In this race against his own sanity, Hansen realizes that the only way to silence the voices in his head once and for all is to kill the predator. All at once, the entire method of Hansen’s beloved show goes out the window, where a set-up to catch Hansen’s target becomes a heart-racing countdown, jeopardizing Hansen’s entire career to bring one man to justice.
Throughout the film, the escalation of drama left me holding my breath in anticipation. While this film received criticism for being “overly dramatic” or embellishing the intention of the original show, I would argue that this film confronts the timeliness of our disgustingly desensitized political climate. More often than not, the predators that we claim to disdain are standing right in front of us. This film allows us as an audience to feel deeply involved in a rare “behind-the-scenes” journey, exemplifying how isolating it is to invest your entire being into producing those perfect “gotcha” moments. After the cliffhanger ending, this film left me with more than I expected it would. In a world that elevates a show like To Catch a Predator to the height of success, how far are we actually willing to go to protect each other from violence? As a reflection of the original show, I feel strongly that the embellishment of Hansen’s character is necessary to highlight the fact that, more often than not, our view of injustices in the world are shown to us through our own “political primetime.”