CHRIS HANSEN BOUGHT ADS TO HECKLE THE MOVIE ABOUT CHRIS HANSEN

A24 released Primetime on September 25 with Robert Pattinson playing Chris Hansen in a dramatization of the To Catch a Predator years. Hansen was never consulted, so he solved the problem the way a man with a streaming service solves problems. He bought preshow ad time on 3,500 screens. Before the movie about Hansen starts, the real Hansen walks into a kitchen, tells the theater to have a seat, and sends everyone to TruBlu, his own network. He is counterprogramming a film about himself with himself. He skipped the early screening because A24 wanted an NDA signed, which meant buying a ticket at a Times Square theater like a regular customer, then interviewing moviegoers on the sidewalk afterward for footage. The review ran on his podcast, Have a Seat. He said 98% of the movie was pure fiction, complained about the green hue on Pattinson's face, said the character looks like he's having a mental breakdown, and called a shirtless mirror scene absurd. He gave the performance a D, then defended the grade by pointing out he's the only guy whose opinion counts on this one. He keeps calling Pattinson talented and gracious throughout all of it. Pattinson has said he hopes the film adds to Hansen's legacy. It has added something.

Why you should give a shit: Hansen just paid for 3,500 screens' worth of the best marketing Primetime could ask for.