Primetime

Justice doesn’t seem to be a top priority for anyone in Primetime, a captivating drama about journalistic ethics, media sensationalism, and the resulting fine line between entertainment and exploitation.

On the surface, it goes behind the scenes of the notorious 2000s show “To Catch a Predator,” a “Dateline NBC” spinoff that exposed suspected pedophiles by using actors, hidden cameras, and carefully orchestrated sting operations.

But it’s really more of a biopic about host Chris Hansen, the performative journalist whose legacy is synonymous with the program and its unscrupulous tactics that essentially ignored due process, even if its intentions were initially honorable.

By skillfully turning the tables, the narrative feature debut of director Lance Oppenheim (Some Kind of Heaven) navigates a rise-and-fall trajectory without a true hero, yet never sympathizes with the perpetrators.

As the show becomes a surprise hit, Hansen (Robert Pattinson) turns fiercely controlling and competitive, driven by ego and obsessed with fame. At the same time, the film explores the morality of the show’s premise from multiple perspectives, all perhaps complicit in some way.

Among them are a producer (Merritt Wever) who needs a career breakthrough, a network executive (Jeff Zucker, playing himself) eager for a ratings boost at any cost, a Texas police chief (Bokeem Woodbine) who lures the show to his city to score political points, and even bloodthirsty fans.

Then there’s an aspiring young thespian (Skyler Gisondo) looking to bolster his resume by turning his 13-year-old decoys into full-fledged characters. “What you’re doing is more than acting,” Hansen convinces him. “You’re saving children.”

Pattinson might not have the voice exactly right, but he superbly captures Hansen’s awkward mannerisms, self-serving perfectionism, and cold and calculating demeanor always meant to put himself in the spotlight.

Inspired by a 2009 Esquire article, the film captures an era when smartphones and social media were still in their infancy, and “reality” television hadn’t yet become a juggernaut.

The disjointed screenplay offers a surface-level examination of the psychology behind it all as it detours into melodramatic contrivances, particularly concerning Hansen’s personal demons and borderline mental breakdown, which isn’t as compelling.

However, in pulling back the curtain, Primetime is able to maximize our discomfort in a different way than the show, which kept viewers safely at a distance from the sleaze.

Those who recall the source material will be prompted to reconsider their perspective, even with a certain level of guilt.

Rated R, 110 minutes.