By Alice Preputnick; Photo Credits to Alice Preputnick
This weekend, I finally got to watch one of my most anticipated film releases of 2026: Lance Oppenheim’s “Primetime.” This film was produced by A24, which is usually hit-or-miss with me. This one was a hit.
“Primetime” is a film that is based on a true story and follows Chris Hansen’s 2006 TV show “To Catch a Predator:” a show that exposed male predators who talked to children online. Chris Hansen and his producer, Andie Beaver, must work to keep the show’s primetime slot on television. The film brings into question the morality of the show and those working on it, as well as showing the details leading up to the eventual cancellation of the show.
From playing an awkward, yet paranoid, fiancé in “The Drama,” to the arrogant antagonist in “The Odyssey,” it’s safe to say that Robert Pattinson has had quite the run of successful films so far this year. The way that Pattinson can transform his voice for every role he plays is insanely impressive. He was able to imitate Hansen’s speaking cadence in a way that wasn’t too over the top or too subtle.
Merritt Wever, who played Andie Beaver, had an incredibly memorable performance in the film. Her acting felt the most authentic, especially when she would be watching Hansen catch the predators and loudly chew her gum. I enjoyed the scenes where her character was debating on leaving the show and becoming a producer for a different show.
Skyler Gisondo, who played Dan Plum, was the standout actor of this film for me. While his character was mostly fictional, his storyline was the most compelling part of the script for me. Gisondo’s facial expressions throughout the film continuously held my attention, and the ending scene of him receiving a Screen Actors Guild Card perfectly wrapped up his character’s personal desires and story.
Since I left the theater, I haven’t been able to stop listening to the score. It amplified every scene and truly had me tuned into the movie. A certain moment when the score stuck out to me was when Hansen and Plum were walking back to a motel room after having a dinner conversation, and the track “Boy Scout” started to play. The strings in this piece are so beautiful that I genuinely shed a tear.
The cinematography in “Primetime” was spectacular. The movie switches from a VHS-style look, to a standard movie look. This is just an extra detail that invites the audience into the world of the show-within-a-movie concept. Along with this effect, this film also had various eye-catching, stylistic shots. Sometimes in films, crazy camera cuts/shots can be distracting, and while this movie was toeing that line, it still did it in a way that intrigued me.
Another aspect of the film that stood out to me was the lighting and coloring. Most of this film used blue and red lighting, which created a mysterious and alluring atmosphere. A notable lighting scene was when Hansen was overlooking a pool, after one of their catching attempts didn’t go as planned. The scene takes place at night, so the background is dark, and the blueness of the pool is intensified. The coloring herehighlights the dialogue that occurs between Hansen and Plum.
This film might be one of my favorite 2026 releases yet. It is a combination of almost everything I love in a movie. I highly recommend checking this movie out as soon as possible; you won’t regret it.