Chris Hansen, the former host of To Catch a Predator, has issued a scathing review of Primetime, the A24 film inspired by his career. Hansen gave Robert Pattinson’s lead performance a “D” grade and characterized the project as being “98 percent pure fiction.”
The film, directed by Lance Oppenheim, focuses on the high-stakes world of televised sting operations targeting internet predators. While critics have largely embraced the production, Hansen argued during an appearance on Fox News’ Jesse Watters Primetime and on his own Have a Seat YouTube channel that the portrayal is fundamentally detached from reality.
Disputing the Cinematic Narrative
Hansen’s primary grievance centers on how the film depicts both his professional methods and his personal demeanor. He claimed several pivotal scenes never occurred during the actual run of To Catch a Predator.
One specific point of contention involves a scene where a phone is allegedly handed to a decoy during a police raid. Hansen disputed this sequence entirely, noting that the production’s dramatization creates a false impression of the legal and procedural safeguards used during the real-life stings. He further alleged that he had previously walked out of a private screening at A24’s offices because he refused to sign a restrictive non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that would have prevented him from speaking publicly about the film’s accuracy.
Critical Acclaim vs. Personal Disapproval
Despite Hansen’s dismissal, Primetime has found significant success with professional reviewers. The film currently holds an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with many praising Pattinson’s intensity and Oppenheim’s stylistic direction.
The disconnect highlights the tension between the film’s marketing—which describes the story as “inspired by true events”—and the perspective of its real-life subject. The script is based on the 2007 Esquire article “Tonight on Dateline This Man Will Die” by Luke Dittrich, which explored the controversial methods used by the vigilante group Perverted-Justice and the subsequent fallout of a 2006 sting in Murphy, Texas.
According to TheWrap, Hansen’s assessment of the film as “detached from reality” stands in stark contrast to the narrative presented on screen, which includes supporting performances by Skyler Gisondo and Phoebe Bridgers as decoys working within the sting operation.
Primetime was released in U.S. theaters on September 25, 2026. While Hansen remains a vocal critic of the film’s factual integrity, the production continues to be a central topic in the fall awards conversation.
