Primetime – Budget of $14.5 million – 1 hour and 50 minutes
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Chris Hensen films another episode of To Catch a Predator with his producer, Andie, and Xavier and Del from Perverted Justice. They film voiceovers and plan the next shooting location when Andie gets a call from NBC. The executive doesn’t understand the show, but the audience loves it. They’ve lost ratings since Friends and Seinfeld stopped airing (FTC Affiliate Disclaimer). The network needs something to compete for ratings. They chose to put To Catch a Predator on Wednesday at 9 pm, Primetime. Now, it will compete against Lost. Chris and Andie accept the news calmly until they walk into the hallway. Chris thinks this will bring his show an Emmy.
Danny Plum auditions for a new show and gets the part. The 23-year-old will be playing a 13-year-old boy. He watches Inside the Actor’s Studio for tips while his friend Troy coaches him. The show handles his flight and hotel room. He arrives on set with a suit and tie. Andie rushes him to the back door, and the crew changes his clothes while Andie tells him the setup. Dazed and confused, Danny asks the man to come into the home. As Danny looks for a glass, the man pulls down his pants and puts whipped cream on himself. Danny turns and backs away as Chris enters and introduces himself. Danny shakes in the production room, and Andie gives him a pill to calm his nerves.
After a successful sting, Andie tells Chris they could lose their decoy. She prompts Chris to take Danny to dinner and convince him to stay. NBC will pay the bill. Chris meets with Danny and persuades him to work on the show. He will help the world and save children. Chris renames him Decoy Danny and calls him a superhero. Danny reveres Chris and his new role. Danny hopes this show will get him into the Screen Actors Guild while increasing his screen time. They continue shooting episodes and work with the police to apprehend suspects. Then, Chris becomes obsessed with catching a ‘white whale’ as his personal life falls apart. His rush for ratings will end with a gunshot. Who will die?
Based on ‘Tonight on Dateline: This Man Will Die’ by Luke Dittrich, this film examines the people behind the show. The director chose a 4:3 ratio to make the audience feel a part of the production, not a person in the crowd. The camera angles make you feel like you are in the next room, intruding on a private conversation. It is also gritty, instead of sleek and polished. This choice gives the movie a reality TV look. The movie uses actual newsreels to bring the audience back to the 2000s. The only real people are Chris, Danny, Xavier, Del, and the slew of predators. Every other character is an exaggeration. So, it’s hard to understand what’s fact and what’s fiction. The actors became their characters, emulating their mannerisms and speech patterns. The plot never drags and keeps you on the edge of your seat. You will cringe at every bad decision for the sake of ratings. Chris’s final question will haunt you. This film is a searing look at American programming and the criminal justice system, but one watch is enough.
I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars
What would have happened if I wasn’t here – Chris
I don’t want to – Andy
He couldn’t resist me – Xavier
You have to smile so they can hear it in your voice – Del
525600 minutes – Danny
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Categories: In The Theater, Merritt Wever, movie, Phoebe Bridgers, Primetime, review, Robert Pattinson, Skyler Gisondo
