Robert Pattinson‘s performance as To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen is earning strong reviews.
A24‘s Primetime, which premiered Saturday at the Venice Film Festival to a nearly eight-minute standing ovation, holds a 93 percent critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. The film will be released in theaters Sept. 25.
Directed by Lance Oppenheim, Primetime follows Pattinson as Hansen, the former Dateline NBC host who became famous for confronting suspected child predators on camera through To Catch a Predator. The film also stars Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers and Bokeem Woodbine.
Hansen, who initially questioned Hollywood’s motives by making the film, has since given Pattinson credit for the work he put into portraying him. “Obviously he has practiced imitating me, and while I think it’s overly dramatic, I think there is a pretty good imitation there in the trailer,” Hansen recently told Entertainment Tonight.
While recently speaking with Fox News’ Jesse Watters, Hansen also said that he did not attend a screening of Primetime, alleging, “Lawyers at A24 wanted me to sign away my rights to my name, image and brand, essentially, as well as any potential legal rights that would come out of the movie.”
