To Catch a Predator’s Chris Hansen watches Hollywood’s version of himself; calls it a hit piece, ‘pure fiction’

BS BULLETIN:

Chris Hansen has watched “Primetime,” the new hit movie starring Robert Pattinson as a fictionalized version of the “To Catch a Predator” host.
Hansen says the film is “pure fiction,” wildly distorts his life and portrays him as an aloof, detached father.
He says the filmmakers used his name, image and likeness without his consultation — and calls the movie a “hit piece.”

For years, Chris Hansen made a career out of inviting people to sit down and explain themselves.

Hollywood may want to pull up a chair.

Hansen has now seen “Primetime,” the new A24 movie starring Robert Pattinson as a fictionalized version of the journalist behind NBC’s wildly popular “To Catch a Predator.”

His review?

Not exactly two thumbs up.

Hansen says the movie is so detached from what actually happened that he had trouble figuring out what the filmmakers were trying to accomplish.

“I think it’s so far over the top that it’s hard to come to grips with what they’re trying to do here.”

The movie dramatizes Hansen’s rise through the NBC predator investigations while examining the increasingly uncomfortable line between journalism, law enforcement and television entertainment.

It isn’t particularly flattering.

Pattinson’s Hansen is portrayed as increasingly consumed by the success of the program while his personal life deteriorates around him.

And that’s the part that really got the real Hansen’s attention.

He says the film portrays him as an aloof, detached father to his sons — something Hansen strongly disputes.

He also says he wasn’t consulted about the movie despite the filmmakers using his identity and drawing heavily from the television program that made him famous.

“At the end of the day, it is pure fiction. They mix in some reality here and there.”

Hansen went further, describing the film as a “hit piece” not merely against him, but against the people who have worked on investigations targeting adults seeking sexual encounters with children.

That’s an especially interesting complaint because “Primetime” isn’t exactly hiding what it’s doing.

The movie deliberately asks uncomfortable questions about whether the enormously popular predator investigations crossed the line from exposing dangerous behavior into sensational television.

Criticism of the original program isn’t new.

“To Catch a Predator” faced years of questions about journalistic ethics, its relationship with law enforcement and the tactics used by the civilian group Perverted Justice. One particularly controversial Texas operation ended with a target dying by suicide as police attempted to execute a warrant.

Hansen has defended the work and continues conducting predator investigations today.

Meanwhile, the movie he doesn’t much care for is finding an audience.

“Primetime” pulled in $19.2 million during its opening weekend, with younger moviegoers helping drive its surprisingly strong performance.

Which means an entirely new generation that may know Chris Hansen primarily from YouTube clips and memes is now being introduced to him through Robert Pattinson.

Hansen would apparently prefer they take a seat and hear his version too.

MY QUICK TAKE

“Based on real events” has become Hollywood’s magical permission slip to put a real person’s name and face on the screen and then wander wherever the screenplay needs to go.

Hansen isn’t arguing that “To Catch a Predator” was beyond criticism.

He’s arguing that if you’re going to put Chris Hansen on screen, perhaps Chris Hansen ought to recognize the guy.

After all these years, Hollywood finally got Chris Hansen to say the words every “To Catch a Predator” suspect wished they could say: You’ve got the wrong guy.