Those of us that live in the suburbs know that, a few miles away, we will find one or more of those huge chain retail outlets, a place we can go to shop for everything we need. While we're there, we might drop off a roll or two of film to be processed. Unknowingly, perhaps thinking the whole process is done via computer, we don't realize that the technician developing the prints might actually be looking those prints over, an invisible eye to our private moments. That's the premise of Mark Romanek's chilling One Hour Photo.
Robin Williams is Sy Parrish, a photo technician for one of those large nameless stores. He's polite, friendly, and knows many of his customers by name. Over the years he's become particularly fond of the Yorkin family: Will (played by Michael vartan), the handsome father and husband; Nina (Connie Nielson), the beautiful mother and wife, who over the years has come to know Sy; and son Jake (Dylan Smith), who also likes Sy, and is sad in his belief that Sy is lonely and has no friends.
We've all seen the manic Robin in many of his comedies, improvising like crazy, not really playing a character, just another version of himself. In One Hour Photo, Williams takes that manic energy and stuffs it inside, and he becomes Sy the Photo Guy, no longer Robin Williams. It's a chilling performance. Sy is indeed friendless. Lonely and depressed, he eats his meals alone and returns home to his tiny, empty apartment.
Sy has done some decorating: one wall is covered with photos of the Yorkins. Over the years, Sy has made a set of prints for himself every time the Yorkins bring something in to be developed. And over the years he's become fixated on what he thinks, via the photographs, is a perfect family. He imagines himself as a part of the family, "Uncle Sy," and his fixation is now turning to obsession.
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Article comments
1 - RJ
Good review.
I loved this movie, and like you said, it is rather haunting and stays with you for long after the credits roll...
2 - Bob A. Booey
I hate Robin Williams and I like this movie. He's surprisingly good in his creepy stalker roles -- didn't he do some other movie where he played a psycho serial killer type? I forget what it was. Remind me, someone.
"Patch Adams" was still the worst movie I've ever seen, though. I walked out of it on a date. The chick was hot and didn't like me after that, but I didn't care. I couldn't take it once he had that stupid butterfly on his hand on top of the mountain. I had to bail.
That is all.
3 - Scott C. Smith
"Insomnia" is the movie Robin Williams made with Al Pacino where he played another creepy psycho character.