Director Lance Oppenheim creates a grim and grubby world in Primetime, steeped in the sweat and compromised ambitions of its characters. But below the film’s grimy surface is a sharp examination of the personal and professional concessions people make in pursuit of success.

Inspired by real events, Primetime follows American television presenter Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson), whose NBC reality TV series To Catch a Predator became a ratings sensation between 2004 and 2007.

The film is set in 2006 as Hansen, working with producer Andie Bender (Merritt Wever), oversees sting operations. In the set-up, men are lured into houses believing they are meeting underage children, only to be confronted by Hansen and his cameras.

Among those recruited is aspiring actor Dan Plum (Skyler Gisondo) as TV bait, whose involvement offers another perspective on the enterprise. Pattinson’s performance as Hansen carefully reveals the deep insecurity beneath his relentless ambition. Constantly comparing himself........

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