One Hour Photo is a film of supreme caliber. The film is powered by the haunting, chilling, silencing, and above all-genius performance by Robin Williams. But the rather extraordinary thing is that it is not Robin Williams on the screen, it's Sy Parish (the character's name). Robin Williams fades away from our senses and slips into the ever so sweet and innocent yet psychotic role of a supermarket's photo developer. The films script is only accented by Williams, at times, restrained performance. Williams ignites on the screen and burns till the last frame, and you are unable to take your eyes off him. As I mentioned the film is subliminily written as well as directed. Though being Romanek's first, I certainly don't think this is a bad start. Romanek's direction adds to the on-going tension throughout the film. More affecting is Williams' delightful calmness. Trying to hold himself in becomes more troublesome for both Williams and his character as the story develops. Yet through the calm eyes of an innocent blaze the fires of hatred and intensity, which could very well sum up Williams' performance. The film does have some disturbing images as well. Yet they are not really strong enough for you to get up from your seat and leave yet rather the opposite. Williams' contribution as well as guidance towards the actions and scenes of peril compell as well as amaze you towards both the performance and film itself. Williams' shocking contribution to the screen is enough to make you cry, scream, and yell in your seat. Because the origins of the character are bittersweet just like own known Williams, leads to a crazed and psychotic breakdown. It's as if watching our own funny and beloved Robin fail us. Though the truth could not be any further, Williams but succeeds in the art of acting, creating an achievement in the field. Creating a landmark. Writing his/its own chapter. I guarantee that this film will be required study material in acting classes for now on. In conclusion: definitely one of the best of 2002.
546 Reviews
Williams Sells It
Hitchcoc22 May 2012
Robin Williams, one of the funniest people on the planet, has made a career of playing some very unpleasant people. In this one, he works at a Fotomat (now nearly extinct) and become the stalker of a family that brings their films to him for development. Not only does he stalk them, he knows everything about them, their birthday parties, their fights, their sporting events, etc. Of course, at some point he is going to inject himself into their lives. Fortunately, the scrip writers used some restraint and made this play out the way it should have (I won't' spoil this for you). Suffice it to say that the trip is a scary one and we can't help but feel our flesh creep a bit. We also are made aware of his loneliness and his dysfunctional existence. He is a multidimensional figure, as quirky as one can get. After seeing "The Social Network" recently, I have to also say that we have created a societal voyeurism in our culture. This further shows how fragile our privacy is and how we are willing to sell it to the highest bidder.
subtle but chilling portrayal of madness
Buddy-5129 September 2002
Robin Williams gives what may well be the performance of his career in `One Hour Photo,' a creepy psychological thriller written and directed with cool precision by Mark Romanek. Given its premise, the film could easily have degenerated into a sordid, exploitative tale of obsession and madness. Instead, Romanek has chosen to take a more subtle approach, fashioning a film that downplays the potential violence of its material while, at the same time, recognizing the humanity of its central figure.
Romanek understands that the greatest threats to our safety and lives often come from the gray, nondescript people who surround us unnoticed, the `nobodies' whose benign faces and vacuous smiles reveal no trace of the insanity, evil and potential for doing us harm that may be lurking right there under the surface. And nobody is `grayer' than Si Parrish, an innocuous, socially undeveloped milquetoast who spends his days working as a photo developer in one of those sterile five-and-dime drug stores (just like the one in `The Good Girl') - and his nights sitting all alone in his drab apartment brooding over a massive family-photo shrine he has erected to the Yorkins, a seemingly happy family of three whose pictures Si has been developing, copying and obsessing over for more than seven years now. The film centers around Si's growing fixation with this one family and his delusional belief that he too could somehow become an integral part of their family unit. Then comes the day when Si realizes that he is no longer content to be a mere vicarious member of this adopted family and, thus, begins his plan to gradually insinuate himself more and more directly into their lives.
As both writer and director, Romanek manages to keep us in a state of vague uneasiness throughout. We are always anticipating some potentially dreadful event, yet Romanek doesn't go for the easy thrill or the obvious plot turn. Thanks to Williams' subtle, incisive performance, we come to understand something of what makes this strange character tick. We begin to sense the deep-seated loneliness and social awkwardness that have come to play such an important part in defining both his behavior and his character. Si is scary, but he is also pathetic. He may have slipped over the edge into madness, but it is a pathology rooted in overwhelming loneliness and the inability to `fit in' to the societal `norm' of marriage and family. Even when his character is at his most threatening and irrational, Williams somehow makes us care about him.
Romanek hits upon a few ancillary themes as well. He acknowledges how photos create the appearance of a life without necessarily reflecting the reality of that life. Most people, Si confesses, record only the `special, happy' moments of their lives birthdays, weddings, holidays etc. and leave out the mundane or painful ones. Moreover, Si tells us that people use pictures as a way of defeating aging and time, of saying to the world of the future that `I', this seemingly insignificant person, was really here, being happy and enjoying life. To match this theme, Romanek's visual style often feels like the director's own personal homage to The Photograph, as the camera scans caressingly across a sea of snapshots and Si's voiceover narration complements that feeling.
`One Hour Photo' is not a film for those who like their chills heavily laced with bloodshed, murder and mayhem. It is, rather, for those who can appreciate a quietly unsettling, yet strangely compassionate glimpse into the dark recesses of the troubled mind.
Romanek understands that the greatest threats to our safety and lives often come from the gray, nondescript people who surround us unnoticed, the `nobodies' whose benign faces and vacuous smiles reveal no trace of the insanity, evil and potential for doing us harm that may be lurking right there under the surface. And nobody is `grayer' than Si Parrish, an innocuous, socially undeveloped milquetoast who spends his days working as a photo developer in one of those sterile five-and-dime drug stores (just like the one in `The Good Girl') - and his nights sitting all alone in his drab apartment brooding over a massive family-photo shrine he has erected to the Yorkins, a seemingly happy family of three whose pictures Si has been developing, copying and obsessing over for more than seven years now. The film centers around Si's growing fixation with this one family and his delusional belief that he too could somehow become an integral part of their family unit. Then comes the day when Si realizes that he is no longer content to be a mere vicarious member of this adopted family and, thus, begins his plan to gradually insinuate himself more and more directly into their lives.
As both writer and director, Romanek manages to keep us in a state of vague uneasiness throughout. We are always anticipating some potentially dreadful event, yet Romanek doesn't go for the easy thrill or the obvious plot turn. Thanks to Williams' subtle, incisive performance, we come to understand something of what makes this strange character tick. We begin to sense the deep-seated loneliness and social awkwardness that have come to play such an important part in defining both his behavior and his character. Si is scary, but he is also pathetic. He may have slipped over the edge into madness, but it is a pathology rooted in overwhelming loneliness and the inability to `fit in' to the societal `norm' of marriage and family. Even when his character is at his most threatening and irrational, Williams somehow makes us care about him.
Romanek hits upon a few ancillary themes as well. He acknowledges how photos create the appearance of a life without necessarily reflecting the reality of that life. Most people, Si confesses, record only the `special, happy' moments of their lives birthdays, weddings, holidays etc. and leave out the mundane or painful ones. Moreover, Si tells us that people use pictures as a way of defeating aging and time, of saying to the world of the future that `I', this seemingly insignificant person, was really here, being happy and enjoying life. To match this theme, Romanek's visual style often feels like the director's own personal homage to The Photograph, as the camera scans caressingly across a sea of snapshots and Si's voiceover narration complements that feeling.
`One Hour Photo' is not a film for those who like their chills heavily laced with bloodshed, murder and mayhem. It is, rather, for those who can appreciate a quietly unsettling, yet strangely compassionate glimpse into the dark recesses of the troubled mind.
Great performance by Robin Williams
amberia-1698020 May 2020
I so wanted to love this movie. As a movie it's great, the supporting cast isn't stellar but Robin Williams' performance is nothing short of captivating. The movie begins well but seems to lose its footing in the middle, and by the end it made me too uncomfortable to be able to enjoy it properly. It's a good watch but is quite sad and some of the scenes towards the climax of the film are definitely up there for creepiness.
Strong performances save the day.
dirk2817 March 2003
Yes, Robin Williams does steal the show. He's an underrated actor, who, given a good script can deliver a mind boggling performance. That's exactly what One hour photo is, a good script with brilliant performances. The whole cast does an excellent job of showing how the events of one deranged man can impact the lives of many. Let's get one thing straight, though, this not a mainstream movie. It is very much an independant film. If you don't like movies with little action or a low budget don't see this movie. This film is good because of its' strong performances and decent script. I must say, though, without Williams as the lead, this movie would not have been as good as it was.
Williams is excellent...movie is so-so
preppy-39 September 2002
A photo-processing man Seymour "Sy" Parrish (Robin Williams), becomes obsessed with a seemingly perfect family--the Yorkins. He's developed their photos for years and thinks he knows all about them. When he notices something is wrong however, he goes out of his way to correct it.
This is an OK movie with a great performance. The story is interesting, but we know next to nothing about the Yorkins--they're given very little depth. So when things go crazy at the end, you feel nothing. Also Connie Nielsen and Michael Vartan come across with no personality--it's not their fault--the script is against them. Also the movie gets very unpleasant at the end.
But it, more or less, works because of Willaims--he's just great as Sy...charming and creepy at the same time...he's just fantastic. Also the young son of the Yorkins played by Dylan Smith is very good...he acts just like a 9 year old should.
So it's somewhat worth seeing but no great shakes--except for Williams.
This is an OK movie with a great performance. The story is interesting, but we know next to nothing about the Yorkins--they're given very little depth. So when things go crazy at the end, you feel nothing. Also Connie Nielsen and Michael Vartan come across with no personality--it's not their fault--the script is against them. Also the movie gets very unpleasant at the end.
But it, more or less, works because of Willaims--he's just great as Sy...charming and creepy at the same time...he's just fantastic. Also the young son of the Yorkins played by Dylan Smith is very good...he acts just like a 9 year old should.
So it's somewhat worth seeing but no great shakes--except for Williams.
Potentially good film ruined by dishonest, far too cute ending
adrianovasconcelos7 August 2019
ONE HOUR PHOTO boasts some pluses: Romanek's direction is competent, even if it goes adrift in the final minutes, with an ending that is much too cute and schmaltzy to ring truthful. Photography is absolutey first class, helping Williams deliver one of his finest performances.
Acting by the rest of the cast is supporting, and no particular role stands out, but certainly there are no downright poor performances.
The script is rather poor, but it has its moments, above all when Sy follows Mrs Yorkin's vehicle in expectation to see how she reacts to the photo showing her husband's affair with Maya Burson, and some terrifically frightening scenes, such as when, in his mind's eye, he wanders about the Yorkins' house, to the point of using their toilet to excrete.
Frankly, after all the buildup and the steadily sinister development of Sy's character, I was expecting a more psychologically substantiated ending, with the violence that tends to accompany such incidents. Instead, Sy loses his job, steals a lethal weapon, breaks the law in various ways... and he does all that just to show Mrs Yorkin that her husband deceives her and her son?
Nah, I don't buy it and I feel cheated by such a dishonest ending.
You do not get to learn whether Sy gets the appropriate prison sentence, all you see is Sy in the final still, with the Yorkins and their son. I cannot possibly see how that could happen in real wife, after he had intruded so criminally in their lives.
Acting by the rest of the cast is supporting, and no particular role stands out, but certainly there are no downright poor performances.
The script is rather poor, but it has its moments, above all when Sy follows Mrs Yorkin's vehicle in expectation to see how she reacts to the photo showing her husband's affair with Maya Burson, and some terrifically frightening scenes, such as when, in his mind's eye, he wanders about the Yorkins' house, to the point of using their toilet to excrete.
Frankly, after all the buildup and the steadily sinister development of Sy's character, I was expecting a more psychologically substantiated ending, with the violence that tends to accompany such incidents. Instead, Sy loses his job, steals a lethal weapon, breaks the law in various ways... and he does all that just to show Mrs Yorkin that her husband deceives her and her son?
Nah, I don't buy it and I feel cheated by such a dishonest ending.
You do not get to learn whether Sy gets the appropriate prison sentence, all you see is Sy in the final still, with the Yorkins and their son. I cannot possibly see how that could happen in real wife, after he had intruded so criminally in their lives.
Mr. Williams Steals The Show In This Clever Little Chiller
Chrysanthepop8 March 2008
On face value, 'One Hour Photo' may seem like an average thriller but you'll be in for a surprise if you think so. It is a clever little movie that works both as a psychological thriller and an intriguing character study. Thankfully it does not have the absurd twists one has witnessed in the overrated 'Fatal Attraction' or nonsensical ones like in 'Single White Female' or 'The Hand That Rocks the Cable'. The storytelling is very coherent and the portrayal of the characters is very subtle.
This isn't a fast-paced thriller. Writer and director Romanek takes his time to tell the story but that does not make 'One Hour Photo' boring. On the contrary, it allows us to discover the shades of Seymour and allows the viewer to feel sympathy for but also be fear of him. Likewise, we also discover the family Seymour/Sy stalks. At first they appear to be like a happy American family but soon we see, through Seymour's point of view, that reality is something else. Romanek creates a very gloomy cold atmosphere. The viewer does feel Seymour's loneliness from the busy supermarket to his claustrophobic apartment. The film is very well shot as it highlights the gloominess, indifference and closed atmosphere. Romanek also approaches interesting themes about what photographs mean i.e. proof of ones existence (beautifully explained in the film). While people take pictures of happy moments, their reality is something else.
Coming to the performances, what would 'One Hour Photo' be without Robin Williams? The actor is in a completely different form and he does an excellently downplays Sy. Sy is gentle, polite, pathetic and creepy. Williams really brings a humane quality to the character rather than portray him as the clichéd stalker. Nielsen and Vartan are good too. La Salle and Cole give sufficient support. But, in the end, it's a one man show that belongs to Mr. Williams.
There are a few very minor flaws such as a few scenes where reality is suspended but overall this is a cleverly chilling film that deserves to be watched but do not expect lots of murder, bloodshed, or silly twists like boiling a live rabbit.
This isn't a fast-paced thriller. Writer and director Romanek takes his time to tell the story but that does not make 'One Hour Photo' boring. On the contrary, it allows us to discover the shades of Seymour and allows the viewer to feel sympathy for but also be fear of him. Likewise, we also discover the family Seymour/Sy stalks. At first they appear to be like a happy American family but soon we see, through Seymour's point of view, that reality is something else. Romanek creates a very gloomy cold atmosphere. The viewer does feel Seymour's loneliness from the busy supermarket to his claustrophobic apartment. The film is very well shot as it highlights the gloominess, indifference and closed atmosphere. Romanek also approaches interesting themes about what photographs mean i.e. proof of ones existence (beautifully explained in the film). While people take pictures of happy moments, their reality is something else.
Coming to the performances, what would 'One Hour Photo' be without Robin Williams? The actor is in a completely different form and he does an excellently downplays Sy. Sy is gentle, polite, pathetic and creepy. Williams really brings a humane quality to the character rather than portray him as the clichéd stalker. Nielsen and Vartan are good too. La Salle and Cole give sufficient support. But, in the end, it's a one man show that belongs to Mr. Williams.
There are a few very minor flaws such as a few scenes where reality is suspended but overall this is a cleverly chilling film that deserves to be watched but do not expect lots of murder, bloodshed, or silly twists like boiling a live rabbit.
Williams' creepy turn a success
SmileysWorld14 July 2004
I always knew that Robin Williams could do more than make us laugh.I knew that if he wanted to,he could scare us to death.Williams' turn as the loner willing to do bad things all in the name of right is done with dead on precision.There was always a versatility beneath the comedic improvisation we know him for.Williams executed this role with flying colors.So well,in fact,that I often forgot he was merely acting.While the supporting cast has their moments,this film is all Williams.His character is comparable to a certain deranged cab driver played by Robert DeNiro all those years ago.Though DeNiro's performance will never be topped,Williams work here ranks right up there.Well worth watching
Robin Williams at his best
damonshackleton23 July 2021
A chilling but yet sad film.
morrowman28 May 2005
After watching this film about 3 or 4 times I really understood the point. SY Parrish was truly a guy that I really felt sorry for because it was quite obvious that he had no one in his life. I strongly believe that even though SY got carried away with his obsession with the Yorkin family I feel that he truly cared about Jake and his mom. That is why I understood why he did some of what he did. SY however went about it the wrong way but all in all SY in a weird sense was trying to prove to Jake's Mother that Mr. Yorkin (Jake's Father) was a jerk, and I think Mr. Yorkin got what he deserved at the Hotel, the scare of his life to wake his A** up and make him see how he was hurting his family which at the end of this film it was clear that Mr. Yorkin felt bad about having the affair in the first place. The bottom line is this, even though this Movie was a thriller it was also sad and depressing-because I know people who are sad and lonely like SY and that is why my heart truly went out to SY because all he wanted was someone in his life to care about him. We all need to be loved.
Williams is Chillingly Different!
Sylviastel2 May 2007
Robin Williams is better known for his comedy than his dramatic skills but he sure proves his acting range can stretch from doing silly comedies to doing thrillers. His character, Sy Parrish, is a disturbed man. He's lonely in the first place. He really has nobody but becomes fixated on this family while working at a one hour photo booth. Robin Williams can make you feel sorry and empathy for this man who is obviously desperate for a family of his own or something to connect with in life. Sy gets desperate and does things aren't so forgivable or forgettable. His sad life is brought brilliantly to the screen by Robin Williams who is almost unrecognizable in this role. He really can act beyond the silliness and develop his Juillard talents beyond comedies.
Haunting and depressing experience.
Keemshave3 October 2019
Mental (literally)
frosty-4443110 February 2021
Romanek is up and coming
angry_white_male8 December 2003
I loved this movie. Romanek pays attention to the minute details often overlooked by most directors through the use of natural lighting, exceptional cinemaphotography that gives you a moment to take in the scenery and a soundtrack that doesn't force the viewer to keep fiddling with the volume. At 90 minutes in length, there is no pointless filler doesn't bore you and irrelevant side plots to push it to the 2-hour mark. It's a movie you can sit back and enjoy without feeling distracted by ridiculous special effects, jittery camera work or a disjointed plot. It has a peaceful, deep and thoughtful feel to the narration and dialog that is enhanced and complimented by the soundtrack. You can identify with the characters because they're not some Hollywood fantasy - but real and identifiable everyday people who react as you would expect everyday people to react.
Robin Williams has proven that he's a versatile actor. I've always liked his characters in comedies (i.e., Mork and Mindy, The Birdcage and Death to Smoochy) - however he really shines in more dramatic roles (Moscow on the Hudson and Awakenings). His character Sy in One Hour Photo takes him to the next level, but he's not the center of attraction. This is a good thing. Romanek gives the movie a sense of balance by giving characters depth and dimension. He makes sure that the perfect family that is the focus of Sy's obsession has problems just like everyone else in spite of their picture perfect affluent lifestyle. We see that while Sy succeeds at work with a warm, friendly disposition - his personal life is cold and lonely with his surroundings at home the same impersonal and sterile environment at work. Sy's character fits perfectly.
Another bright spot in One Hour Photo was Dylan Smith, who played the son of the family that Sy is obsessed with. He's a natural actor who has the ability to play natural characters - an average kid who does a splendid job of acting as an average kid. Romanek doesn't insult the viewer by subjecting us to the stereotypical, annoying, mouthy, whiny, know-it-all kid with the bowl haircut that has ruined movie after movie.
If I could change something - I would cast someone other than Gary Cole to play Sy's boss. Maybe it's the MST3K fan inside me saying this, but after seeing Office Space many times, I kept waiting for him to reincarnate the role of Bill Lumbergh in even the most subtle way, mmmm-kay?. Romanek knew how not to cross the fine line that separated Cole's role as the sadistic boss in Office Space from boss in One Hour Photo.
I give this movie a 9.5 out of 10.
Robin Williams has proven that he's a versatile actor. I've always liked his characters in comedies (i.e., Mork and Mindy, The Birdcage and Death to Smoochy) - however he really shines in more dramatic roles (Moscow on the Hudson and Awakenings). His character Sy in One Hour Photo takes him to the next level, but he's not the center of attraction. This is a good thing. Romanek gives the movie a sense of balance by giving characters depth and dimension. He makes sure that the perfect family that is the focus of Sy's obsession has problems just like everyone else in spite of their picture perfect affluent lifestyle. We see that while Sy succeeds at work with a warm, friendly disposition - his personal life is cold and lonely with his surroundings at home the same impersonal and sterile environment at work. Sy's character fits perfectly.
Another bright spot in One Hour Photo was Dylan Smith, who played the son of the family that Sy is obsessed with. He's a natural actor who has the ability to play natural characters - an average kid who does a splendid job of acting as an average kid. Romanek doesn't insult the viewer by subjecting us to the stereotypical, annoying, mouthy, whiny, know-it-all kid with the bowl haircut that has ruined movie after movie.
If I could change something - I would cast someone other than Gary Cole to play Sy's boss. Maybe it's the MST3K fan inside me saying this, but after seeing Office Space many times, I kept waiting for him to reincarnate the role of Bill Lumbergh in even the most subtle way, mmmm-kay?. Romanek knew how not to cross the fine line that separated Cole's role as the sadistic boss in Office Space from boss in One Hour Photo.
I give this movie a 9.5 out of 10.
pretentious crap
eb_redbaron30 October 2002
the movie is an exercise in tedious story-telling, and a boring story at that. every second shot seems to be a close-up of mr. williams, with his bleached and thinned hair and the awkward glasses every psychopath needs. the fact that mr. williams character is a lonely and depressed man is made abundantly clear by a series of boring "staged" shots of him sitting alone in an empty room, whether its the cafeteria or his own home.
the picure-book perfect family could have been interesting, but the director and/or screenwriter obviously couldnt decide at which point to show the "real" family situation behind the happy facade. first we see the parents and their son cuddling on the sofa while looking at their pictures of the sons birthday party. the next scene is a tender good-night scene between mother and son where she states that "not everybody is as lucky as we are." however, the very next time we see the family, the parents are having a shouting match over money and personal issues, while the son watches and runs off crying. that scene seems so misplaced and badly directed that from that point onwards the whole family structure is so uninteresting that one couldnt care less what happens to them.
mr. williams actions in the hotel room towards the end of the movie seem furthermore totally unrelated to the trauma he obviously suffered as a child. his idea of punishment projected to an adult couple just doesnt make sense regarding his own past. it is just as incompetent as the whole story. and then there are the photos themselves. i just kept asking myself, if the family consists of three people, who then is always taking those pictures of the three? the same goes for the holiday pictures of the husband. did they hire a personal photographer to come along with them on the holiday so they could get those perfect couple shots on the beach? and the kid of course always considered the importance of complementary colors when shooting his pics: so that a bright blue teddy bear sits next to an orange balloon and that a pair of red rubber boots are seen standing on a very green lawn! all those pictures are so "art-directed" and staged that they in themselves rob the movie of all credibilty.
the picure-book perfect family could have been interesting, but the director and/or screenwriter obviously couldnt decide at which point to show the "real" family situation behind the happy facade. first we see the parents and their son cuddling on the sofa while looking at their pictures of the sons birthday party. the next scene is a tender good-night scene between mother and son where she states that "not everybody is as lucky as we are." however, the very next time we see the family, the parents are having a shouting match over money and personal issues, while the son watches and runs off crying. that scene seems so misplaced and badly directed that from that point onwards the whole family structure is so uninteresting that one couldnt care less what happens to them.
mr. williams actions in the hotel room towards the end of the movie seem furthermore totally unrelated to the trauma he obviously suffered as a child. his idea of punishment projected to an adult couple just doesnt make sense regarding his own past. it is just as incompetent as the whole story. and then there are the photos themselves. i just kept asking myself, if the family consists of three people, who then is always taking those pictures of the three? the same goes for the holiday pictures of the husband. did they hire a personal photographer to come along with them on the holiday so they could get those perfect couple shots on the beach? and the kid of course always considered the importance of complementary colors when shooting his pics: so that a bright blue teddy bear sits next to an orange balloon and that a pair of red rubber boots are seen standing on a very green lawn! all those pictures are so "art-directed" and staged that they in themselves rob the movie of all credibilty.
Above average stalker flick that avoids some of the clichés
bob the moo5 October 2002
Seymour is a lonely nondescript man who lives by himself and works in the photo developing lab in a large mall. The only bit of cheer in his day is to develop very good photos in his lab, and he takes great pride in his work. His favourite customers are the Yorkin's, who have a son and regularly develop pictures. Seymour's like for this family goes beyond `like' and he feels part of their family and has all their pictures on his wall. However when both his job and the unity of his family are threatened he reacts.
I saw this film in a free preview screening before it came out so I had no reviews to cloud me first. Happily most of them appear to feel the same as I did. In terms of plot this set up will be no surprise to anyone we've all seen Single White Female and Pacific Heights etc, we know what happens that leads to the old bunny boiling etc.
However One Hour Photo is different enough to justify watching. My wife complained that it was too slow and boring but I felt this approach helped it stand out. Instead of being a thriller it was more of a cold slow boiler than was more chilling than thrilling. The plot is well laid out even the money shot of all the pictures on the wall is played out while we're distracted by a joke from the Simpsons on TV. The director's cold approach to story telling works very well and highlights Seymour's grey existence and cold life. Only occasionally does he go astray the fantasy sequences don't always work for instance but for almost the whole film he does very well.
Towards the end Seymour's behaviour goes erratic as we expect and I was worried that the film had eventually given way to cliché. Happily this is not the case. Yes, Seymour's change is a bit of a leap at first but the film cleverly pulls it back at the end. This makes it above the rest of this genre by a good head and shoulders. Clever touches abound in the film but don't always work. For example the director shows us that it is all about seeing by covering Seymour's eyes with objects in some shots to show he has lost his ability to watch, while the name Yorkin is a slight play on `Your Kin' or your family. These are clever but don't add very much the eye theme felt a bit too clever and intrusive.
Williams is excellent. Having paid to see him mush around in Patch Adams I was worried here that eventually his emotions would run away with him. However Williams (and here's something you'd won't hear much) keeps it all in check and underplays wonderfully. His Seymour is likeable, sad, pathetic and chilling all at once. It's hard not to feel for him and he is better for being low-key. I truly felt Williams had turned himself into a `little' man one of those people who you barely notice on the streets as they make no lasting image. Vartan (Alias) is good as Will and Nielsen is also good as Nina. They are also given firm support in the shape of Gary Cole and La Salle. However his is Williams show and, by underplaying, he steals it easily.
Overall this has it's flaws but it is head and shoulders above the rest of this stalker genre. Directed with a clinic eye rather than a thrilling eye this is clever and different enough to more than justify checking it out.
I saw this film in a free preview screening before it came out so I had no reviews to cloud me first. Happily most of them appear to feel the same as I did. In terms of plot this set up will be no surprise to anyone we've all seen Single White Female and Pacific Heights etc, we know what happens that leads to the old bunny boiling etc.
However One Hour Photo is different enough to justify watching. My wife complained that it was too slow and boring but I felt this approach helped it stand out. Instead of being a thriller it was more of a cold slow boiler than was more chilling than thrilling. The plot is well laid out even the money shot of all the pictures on the wall is played out while we're distracted by a joke from the Simpsons on TV. The director's cold approach to story telling works very well and highlights Seymour's grey existence and cold life. Only occasionally does he go astray the fantasy sequences don't always work for instance but for almost the whole film he does very well.
Towards the end Seymour's behaviour goes erratic as we expect and I was worried that the film had eventually given way to cliché. Happily this is not the case. Yes, Seymour's change is a bit of a leap at first but the film cleverly pulls it back at the end. This makes it above the rest of this genre by a good head and shoulders. Clever touches abound in the film but don't always work. For example the director shows us that it is all about seeing by covering Seymour's eyes with objects in some shots to show he has lost his ability to watch, while the name Yorkin is a slight play on `Your Kin' or your family. These are clever but don't add very much the eye theme felt a bit too clever and intrusive.
Williams is excellent. Having paid to see him mush around in Patch Adams I was worried here that eventually his emotions would run away with him. However Williams (and here's something you'd won't hear much) keeps it all in check and underplays wonderfully. His Seymour is likeable, sad, pathetic and chilling all at once. It's hard not to feel for him and he is better for being low-key. I truly felt Williams had turned himself into a `little' man one of those people who you barely notice on the streets as they make no lasting image. Vartan (Alias) is good as Will and Nielsen is also good as Nina. They are also given firm support in the shape of Gary Cole and La Salle. However his is Williams show and, by underplaying, he steals it easily.
Overall this has it's flaws but it is head and shoulders above the rest of this stalker genre. Directed with a clinic eye rather than a thrilling eye this is clever and different enough to more than justify checking it out.
Williams performance hits the mark
rosscinema15 September 2002
Not only is Robin Williams performance very good but this film is extremely well photographed. I personally enjoyed the shots of Williams character in his apartment and everything is in its proper place which reflects the sterilized environment he lives in. I'm also thankful that the script doesn't go over the top. It stays believable without going through the cliche hollywood dramatics. Not a great film or anything that is truly special but a pretty well made film and very well acted.
A Bit Too Creepy For A Second Viewing
jrfranklin0131 January 2005
It's hard to imagine Robin Williams as a psychopath, until you see him play one and realize that Robin can pretty much play any part he puts his mind to. "One Hour Photo" is the story of Sy Parrish (Williams) who works as a photo developer at a local superstore. His isolated life and abusive past stimulate him into forming relationships with his customers through the photos he develops. One family in particular he favors, having developed their photos for several years and seeing all of their memorable moments (wedding, birth of their son, etc.). Williams begins a fantasy relationship with this family and imagines himself as "Uncle Sy". The desperate desire for Sy to have a normal social environment with love and support is terrifically supported and conveyed through his deluded idea of what each photo represents. When Sy realizes that the perfect family in the photos is anything but, he goes further awry.
Williams does such a good job and director Mark Romanek superbly unveils how ordinary-looking, everyday people in our lives could be otherwise and an unsuspecting threat. The film had such a creepy feel afterwards and felt possible too true, that I don't think I could muster a second viewing. They should make college psych. majors watch this one! 7/10
Williams does such a good job and director Mark Romanek superbly unveils how ordinary-looking, everyday people in our lives could be otherwise and an unsuspecting threat. The film had such a creepy feel afterwards and felt possible too true, that I don't think I could muster a second viewing. They should make college psych. majors watch this one! 7/10
Creepy Robin Williams
SnoopyStyle30 March 2014
Seymour Parrish (Robin Williams) is a lonely obsessed employee working at an one hour photo developer inside a big box store. He becomes fixated on the Yorkins (Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan, Dylan Smith) and tries to insinuate himself into their lives. His boss Bill Owens (Gary Cole) starts to have problems with him.
It's a quiet creepy performance from Robin Williams. Writer/director Mark Romanek is mostly known for music videos. It's a very plain movie. The style is very much like the big box store. It has a possibility of a more interesting movie. A creepy Robin Williams isn't enough. There needs to be more meat on the bone. There has to be a story. The ending payoff is simply not big enough. Instead of a powerful explosion, the movie is going for poetic weirdness. This is an interesting performance in search of a more explosive story.
It's a quiet creepy performance from Robin Williams. Writer/director Mark Romanek is mostly known for music videos. It's a very plain movie. The style is very much like the big box store. It has a possibility of a more interesting movie. A creepy Robin Williams isn't enough. There needs to be more meat on the bone. There has to be a story. The ending payoff is simply not big enough. Instead of a powerful explosion, the movie is going for poetic weirdness. This is an interesting performance in search of a more explosive story.
Academy Voters, WAKE UP!!!
RitchCS21 February 2003
Looking at the five best actor nominees for the Best Actor Academy Awards, it's disgraceful that Robin Williams didn't head the list. Not one of the five even come close to Robin's superb portrayal of "Sy", with one exception, Adrein Brody. So often the award goes to the most sympathetic character and the voters give the nod to repay the character for his hardship or loss. At other times, the Oscar goes to the actor that shouts the loudest or displays a rage of anger (Denzel Washington in "Training Day"). It takes talent and training to maintain a low key performance for two hours and make it believable (Sean Penn in "I Am Sam", Russell Crowe in "A Beautiful Mind" and "The Insider". Robin Williams plays against type in "One Hour Photo" and presents the best suppressed creep since Anthony Perkins played Norman Bates, and yet it equals Sir Anthony Hopkins (the master of low key) Hannibal in "SOTL". "One Hour Photo" is only 90 minutes long...with no blood...no gore...no slashing...and yet it is one of the best thrillers of all time.
'Tis a pity, Hollywood can't recognize acting when they see it. The writing, directing, editing, music, and above all the acting (including the supporting cast) all are top-notch. This was one of the best films of 2002!! The critics agreed! Too bad that they don't nominate for the Academy!!
'Tis a pity, Hollywood can't recognize acting when they see it. The writing, directing, editing, music, and above all the acting (including the supporting cast) all are top-notch. This was one of the best films of 2002!! The critics agreed! Too bad that they don't nominate for the Academy!!
A special movie...about REAL life...
ToExist10 June 2003
This is a truely special film that hasn't got its proper recognition. People just don't get it...
This movie is about REAL life, REAL people, and REAL problems...
Hollywood has had a bad habbit of sugar coating reality. All movies have happy endings??? The good guy always win??? Everyone is beautiful???
Give me a break. Hollywood has the tendency of making the bad BAD and the good GOOD. I think most people are somewhere in the middle. I believe that everyone has a dark side and a good side. We're always so quick to judge, label, and forget about people.
A little advice to people in general, never forget anyone.
Powerful film, excellent score (soundtrack). I recommend this film to all those mature enough to pay attention.
This movie is about REAL life, REAL people, and REAL problems...
Hollywood has had a bad habbit of sugar coating reality. All movies have happy endings??? The good guy always win??? Everyone is beautiful???
Give me a break. Hollywood has the tendency of making the bad BAD and the good GOOD. I think most people are somewhere in the middle. I believe that everyone has a dark side and a good side. We're always so quick to judge, label, and forget about people.
A little advice to people in general, never forget anyone.
Powerful film, excellent score (soundtrack). I recommend this film to all those mature enough to pay attention.
One Hour Photo
Prismark1021 March 2020
Well no wonder the future of photography went digital after this movie.
Robin Williams was in a phase where he stepped away from comedy to playing psychopaths.
Sy Parrish (Robin Williams) is a loner. He lives alone and he is dedicated to his job as a photo developer inside a supermarket.
It seems Sy is obsessed with Nina Yorkin (Connie Nielsen.) To him the Yorkins are a perfect family.
However when he develops her husband Will's photos that show him having an affair. Sy moves on from being creepy to being manic.
One Hour Photo is about a man who unravels. Sy is also fired from his job and Will's affair shatters his illusion of a perfect family unit which he would like to play a part in.
The movie shies away from being a slaughter fest. There is some allusion to The Shining with a dream sequence.
It is a slow burner which becomes increasingly deranged. I did find the Yorkin's bland. There is a question mark as to who actually took the intimate photos of Will and his mistress.
Without William's performance, this would be a forgettable movie.
Robin Williams was in a phase where he stepped away from comedy to playing psychopaths.
Sy Parrish (Robin Williams) is a loner. He lives alone and he is dedicated to his job as a photo developer inside a supermarket.
It seems Sy is obsessed with Nina Yorkin (Connie Nielsen.) To him the Yorkins are a perfect family.
However when he develops her husband Will's photos that show him having an affair. Sy moves on from being creepy to being manic.
One Hour Photo is about a man who unravels. Sy is also fired from his job and Will's affair shatters his illusion of a perfect family unit which he would like to play a part in.
The movie shies away from being a slaughter fest. There is some allusion to The Shining with a dream sequence.
It is a slow burner which becomes increasingly deranged. I did find the Yorkin's bland. There is a question mark as to who actually took the intimate photos of Will and his mistress.
Without William's performance, this would be a forgettable movie.
The best film I've seen in the past 8 months.
SomethingJustDiedInHere7 September 2002
One Hour Photo is a must-see movie. Robin Williams does an incredible job playing a lonely and creepy man. Unlike most of the pictures I've seen recently (Signs and Minority Report for example), the ending was not flat or anti-climactic. I never once felt like a line was out of place or unimportant. Everything made sense and there were no true surprises. A well-written screenplay and many great performances made this a movie worth seeing over and over.
Creepy creepy creepy
oliviafarag30 September 2019
I love a solid thriller, this one did not disappoint. Robin Williams is chillingly convincing as the photo booth attendant who fantasizes about being part of the family whose photos he regularly develops. A few cliched twists and turns and contrived plot points is what stops this movie from being rated higher. But overall, enjoyable and not too gory.
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