PRIMETIME (2026)

September 24, 2026

Greetings again from the darkness. Director Lance Oppenheim (SOME KIND OF HEAVEN, 2020) and co-writers Luke Dittrich and Ajon Singh toss nearly two hours of psychology at us, leaving us to fend for ourselves on how best to define evil and acceptable boundaries of ethics and decency. It’s a bit of a mind twister that some may define as horror, while others cast it as satire. Regardless of your take, I found this to be a mesmerizing look at the things that make some people tick.

Robert Pattinson stars as Chris Hansen, whom you likely recall as the host of “To Catch a Predator”, a special offering which ran from 2004-08 on “Dateline NBC”. Hansen became renowned for his creepy voice and catchphrases, “Why don’t you have a seat” and “You see how this looks, right?” It wasn’t enough to catch the pedophiles … they needed to be humiliated on camera and then have the tape replayed on national television. Legalities caught up with show … entrapment being a topic, despite few having sympathy for those targeted. Those caught in compromising positions are shown here, but this film is ingenious in how it turns the camera on what was going on behind the scenes.

Pattinson captures a persona as Hansen that is difficult to describe, yet abnormal and a bit twisted is a start. The always great Merritt Weaver (CHRISTY, 2025) plays the show’s ambitious producer Andie Bender – one who would readily admit to not being cut out for rom-coms. She’s a master at manipulating a situation or person so that it makes her and the show look good. Proof of this is in how she handles “Decoy Dan” (a terrific Skyler Gisondo, SUPERMAN, 2025). Ambitious in his own right, Dan masters the innocent voice used to reel in the target, and does so for the purpose of obtaining his SAG card.

Yes, everyone is out for something here. Matthew Maher (THE BRIDE!, 2026) plays Xavier, the staffer charged with attracting the right kind with online banter. Xavier founded “Perverted Justice”, an organization committed to nailing pedophiles. The downfall of the show occurred with an incident in Murphy, Texas … shown here with Bokeem Woodbine as a strutting Texas sheriff, devoted to nailing ‘The Whale’ … an important local official. It’s the one target that Hansen never had the chance to confront with his own words.

The supporting cast in the film is deep and, in some cases, quite surprising. These actors include Phoebe Bridgers (musician), Anna Farris, Jessica Hecht, Jeff Zucker (former President of CNN), Jonathan Lipnicki (the kid from JERRY MCGUIRE), Alex Winter (BILL & TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE), Tony Revolori (THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL), and Creed Bratton (“The Office”, The Grass Roots).

In addition to the cast, director Oppenheim has put the band back together (from SOME KIND OF HEAVEN, 2020). This includes cinematographer David Bolen whose lighting and camera work deliver a unique atmosphere, composer Ari Balouzian whose musical notes match the feeling, and editor Daniel Garber who fits the pieces together in a way that the “Yuck” factor never overwhelms. The psychological aspects mentioned earlier are on full display throughout, and best of luck maintaining your own sanity as you attempt to figure out if any of these folks are ‘good’ or if that bar is simply unachievable.

Opens in theaters on September 25, 2026

WATCH THE TRAILER

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Posted by David Ferguson

AIR (2023)

April 10, 2023

Greetings again from the darkness. “Where’s the Beef?” That iconic Wendy’s TV commercial featuring Clara Peller is but one of the many references flashed during the opening montage designed to ensure every viewer understands we are headed back to 1984. Yes, it’s been nearly 40 years since Michael Jordan was drafted third overall by the Chicago Bulls. An important point to make is that this is only tangentially a basketball movie, and it’s certainly not a Michael Jordan profile. SPACE JAM (1996) had more basketball and more Jordan than this one. Instead, this is a rare business movie … specifically the story of how one decision by Nike not only saved their basketball shoe division, but also revolutionized the entire sports shoe market and the relationship between shoe manufacturers and athletes (at all levels, though the focus here is the NBA).

Chicago native Alex Convery’s script (his first feature film) had long been on Hollywood’s blacklist of screenplays, and it wasn’t until lifelong friends Ben Affleck and Matt Damon got involved that the project gained legs. The two buddies previously won an Oscar for their GOOD WILL HUNTING (1997) screenplay, and Affleck won a Best Picture Oscar for producing ARGO (2012). This time, in addition to their script tweaks, Affleck appears as Nike CEO Phil Knight (he of the grape Porsche), while Damon stars as Nike recruiting expert, Sonny Vaccaro.

At this point in 1984, Nike has recently gone public, having built their reputation on running shoes. However, the basketball division has never really succeeded due to the dominance of industry leaders Converse and Adidas. In fact, Vaccaro has been warned by Knight that the division could be shut down by the board of directors if this year’s budget isn’t turned into a pot of gold. Vaccaro, a recognized guru in scouting basketball talent, seems to be working from a point of desperation … or perhaps it’s excitement … when he becomes obsessed with signing Michael Jordan. Hilarious and profane exchanges with Jordan’s powerhouse agent, David Falk (Chris Messina) offer little hope, so Vaccaro sees only one chance at success – a personal visit to the Jordan home in North Carolina. This is typically a taboo move, and one that causes grief for Vaccaro from all sides.

It’s at this initial meeting with Jordan’s parents, Deloris (EGOT Viola Davis) and James (Julius Tennon, also Ms. Davis’ real life husband) where the door cracks for Vaccaro due to his sincerity and idealism. The battle at the corporate office finds Phil Knight reminding Vaccaro who’s in charge, Vaccaro reminding Knight of the risk-taking that built the company, and marketing director Rob Strasser (Jason Bateman) doing what he can to inject rational thought, while hoping to keep his job. As the big presentation approaches, it’s shoe designer Peter Moore (Matthew Maher), who pulls a rabbit out of the hat with his design and name for the shoe. Maher is fabulously awkward during his scene-stealing. There has always been conflict on who came up with “Air Jordan”, Moore or Falk, and the film handles this admirably.

Damon gets a few scenes to rattle off big moments of dialogue, but none matches his peak inspirational soliloquy during the presentation. And this despite the rapid-fire musings of Chris Tucker. Tucker, in a rare big screen appearance, plays Howard White, who would become Jordan’s personal handler (and friend) for Nike over the years. As you might guess, it’s the always terrific Viola Davis who outshines everyone. Her final phone call with Vaccaro is a thing of beauty, and a moment that will likely find her in awards discussion at year end.

Three-time Oscar winning cinematographer (and 10-time nominee) Robert Richardson finds the perfect throwback look for the film, while Costume Designer Charlese Antoinette Jones captures the frumpy look of Vaccaro and the arrogance of Knight and Falk. The only real weakness here stems from director Affleck’s insistence on over-doing the “remember 1984” moments with music and cultural references … including cracks at the expense of Kurt Rambis and the late Mel Turpin. No real suspense exists since the entire world knows Jordan signed with Nike, but the risk-taking in business is reference numerous times. While many kids truly dreamed of being like Mike, many Business majors and CEOs dreamed of being like Knight. The best comparison here is probably MONEYBALL (2011), since at its core, this is the story of an underdog.

Currently showing nationwide in theaters, will stream on Prime Video later this year.

WATCH THE TRAILER

1 Comment | Drama | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by David Ferguson