One Hour Photo (2002)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Albert K

  
  Plastic-y feel to the movie which fits the mood of the movie. Incredible performance by Robin Williams. A movie that disturbs and crawls under your skin. Something not done too well in many films these days. Cinematography is picture perfect... something you would expect in a movie… More
  Plastic-y feel to the movie which fits the mood of the movie. Incredible performance by Robin Williams. A movie that disturbs and crawls under your skin. Something not done too well in many films these days. Cinematography is picture perfect... something you would expect in a movie about a one-hour photo guy. Great movie.

• paul o

  
  Robin williams performs a role that should've deserved more praise. The story is meticulous about an overlooked art and gives us insight into the mind of a troubled man. Romanek's directing helped carry this thriller creepy all throughout the film until the last frame.

• Liam G

  
  With arguably Robin Williams' best performance at the film's core, Mark Romanek's psychological thriller is creepy, riveting and intense throughout. It is also a very fascinating character study, as Williams' Sy is so complex and enters a land of madness by the… More
  With arguably Robin Williams' best performance at the film's core, Mark Romanek's psychological thriller is creepy, riveting and intense throughout. It is also a very fascinating character study, as Williams' Sy is so complex and enters a land of madness by the film's conclusion. ''One Hour Photo'' is very underrated in my view and is extremely well-directed, shot and with an incredible performance by Williams.

• Bethany M

  
  Robin Williams was really creepy but the story wasn't very well written. A little boring at times, but an exceptional performance by the cast. Really had you wondering at times and you were on the edge of your seat, not knowing what he was going to do or what he was up to.… More
  Robin Williams was really creepy but the story wasn't very well written. A little boring at times, but an exceptional performance by the cast. Really had you wondering at times and you were on the edge of your seat, not knowing what he was going to do or what he was up to. Enthralling to say the least.

• Jennifer X

  
  Had it not been for the supremely hot Michael Vartan, I would not have finished this drone of a movie at all. Romanek, why do you suck so much at making films?

• Martin S

  
  Just an amazing movie. Great performeance by Robin Williams. Didn't know he was this good

• Lorenzo v

  
  <i>"And if these pictures have anything important to say to future generations, it's this: I was here. I existed. I was young, I was happy, and someone cared enough about me in this world to take my picture."</i> An employee of a one-hour photo lab… More
  <i>"And if these pictures have anything important to say to future generations, it's this: I was here. I existed. I was young, I was happy, and someone cared enough about me in this world to take my picture."</i> An employee of a one-hour photo lab becomes obsessed with a young suburban family. <center><font size=+2 face="Century Schoolbook"><b><u>REVIEW</u></b></font></center> Williams (in one of his best roles to date showing his true range as an actor) stars as a lonely manager of a film development center in a convenience store who becomes obsessed with a family whose pictures prove to be more than a thousand words. Conveying the pain, desire and utter despair of a disturbed man wrestling with the inner demons of a depleted life, Williams makes Sy Parrish an indelibly remarkable cinematic character along the lines of Travis Bickle, Norman Bates and Harry Caul . Mixed with creepy awareness and an acute social commentary by writer/director Mark Romanek (in a notable debut) who knowingly captures genuine moments of unease and empathy in a particularly conceived concept: how does one live without human contact and the essential ingredient of love? A stunning achievement by all connected with one of the 2002's best films.

• Mike S

  
  With this and his role in <i>Insomnia</i> (where he plays a killer of similiar, psychopathic nature), Robin Williams has utterly proved that he can take on some serious acting assignments. His haunting performance in this film is what carries the story, and I found him… More
  With this and his role in <i>Insomnia</i> (where he plays a killer of similiar, psychopathic nature), Robin Williams has utterly proved that he can take on some serious acting assignments. His haunting performance in this film is what carries the story, and I found him very believable as the photo lab clerk, who becomes creepingly obsessed with one of his customers and her family. The pacing is rather slow-going throughout the film, but it's intriguing enough to keep you watching and wonder what's gonna happen next. Also, it does make you appreciate the invention of the digital camera. Because the idea of having a complete stranger develop your family photos, just got a little more uncomfortable.

• Chris W

  
  Over the last twenty years, the career of Robin WIlliams has been all over the map, with him being a in a wide variety of films, giving a mixed range of performances, and the critical reception varrying wildly among each production he's been a part of. During this time he won a… More
  Over the last twenty years, the career of Robin WIlliams has been all over the map, with him being a in a wide variety of films, giving a mixed range of performances, and the critical reception varrying wildly among each production he's been a part of. During this time he won a much deserved Oscar for Good Will Hunting, and gave two different but similar performances in two exceptional well made and amazing films, roles which brought him a lot of attention due to the fact that the roles were unlike anything WIlliams has ever done throughout his entire career. One of those films was Christopher Nolan's remake of Insomnia. The other, released the same year, was this film: One Hour Photo. This film is an example on all fronts of what makes a great thriller a great thriller, especially with how it follows the mantra of less is more. Tension, drama, and atmosphere are created, not by scenes of shocking violence, over the top perforances, and gratituous subject matter, but by nuance, subtlety, effective editing, music, art direction, camera work, and shot composition- basically mise-en-scene. This film is the writing and directing debut of music video director Mark Romanek, and it is one of the best and creepiest films I have seen in a long time. Playing the role of a severely lonely man who has a grossly unhealthy attachment to a family who are frequent customers of his is a very challenging role for anyone, and not just an actor known for comedic performances. This is the type of role where one could easily over do it, and have it all fall to pieces. I think this is one of the best roles Williams has ever done, and it's not just because he is playing against type, it's because he does it so well that you can't see anyone else but him do it. You forget that he's a comedic actor. Williams IS the nice, but oddly unsettling photo tech. This is really Robin's movie, but the supporting performances by Nielsen and Cole (in a twisted nod to Office Space-kinda) are also pretty terrific. It's quite appropriate how a ovie about film development and picture taking has some magnificent camera work (including some great long takes and tracking shots) and shot composition. The art direction is perfect too: the stark, plain white walls and aneseptic look of the store and Sy's apartment, the nice use of lighting, all of it brings an unforgettable air of unease that make Sy's loneliness and deterioration all the more creepy. The music isn't overly dramatic, but it's not too light hearted either. Muzak is never probably taken seriously as an art form, but the way it is used here, like the look and the sets, perfectly captures the moments and places that seem ordinary, but harbor something far darker underneath. In a way this is a lot like Hiitchcock, but not in a derivative or contrived way. Romanek said that a lot fo the "lonely man" pictures fro the 1970s played a huge inspirational role, and it shows ,especiially Taxi Driver. Not a great deal happens in this movie, but that's another reason why it works so well. Thigns at first don't seem totally wrong, but there is a definite sense that not everything is right. I can tell this will be a film I won't soon be forgetting.

• Film C

  
  most boring movie ever! Its so slow weird and pointless! the worse thriller ever!

• Jeff "

  
  Wow, simply amazing. Robin Williams delivers in this intense Horror/thriller of unnerving proportions. The story is simply great, I loved every moment of this film. I won't divulge anything from the plot, people have heard about what this film is about. All I will say is you… More
  Wow, simply amazing. Robin Williams delivers in this intense Horror/thriller of unnerving proportions. The story is simply great, I loved every moment of this film. I won't divulge anything from the plot, people have heard about what this film is about. All I will say is you won't look at photo developers the same way. Romanek is an effective director who builds, tension, suspense and ultimately Horror into one great story of someone who takes his obsession way too far. One Hour Photo is a creepy, chilling ride from start to finish and I personally think that Robin Williams portrayed Shy Parrish in a a brilliant way, he truly made this movie memorable for me. In the end you cannot help but feel sorry for Shy Parrish, and it is a truly sad, depressing Horrifying story because the truth is, it can happen to anyone...

• Anthony L

  
  Mark Romanek?s debut is unsurprisingly beautiful to look at but unfortunately, it?s style over content in this woefully average film.

• Tsubaki S

  
  Some guy in prozac gets obsessed with the photos of two fashion models.

• Tim S

  
  This film disturbed me down to my very core. Eerie as all hell.

• Derek D

  
  Adisturbing psychological thriller about a lonely Savmart Photo Technician that becomes obsessed with a family whose photos he's developed for years. So, imagine his shock and dismay when he discovers the husband and father of the household is cheating on his wife. That's… More
  Adisturbing psychological thriller about a lonely Savmart Photo Technician that becomes obsessed with a family whose photos he's developed for years. So, imagine his shock and dismay when he discovers the husband and father of the household is cheating on his wife. That's when the movie really heats up, as Williams plays Sy so you feel creeped out, but slowly start to feel sorry for him as he goes overboard towards getting his own measure of revenge against him. Robin is the star of the film, so other's acting can't be critiqued too much as it's down to him and the unknowing wife. Not a classic by an means, but certainly one of Williams' best roles.

• Bannan i

  
  Dude...Williams was actually CREEPY...it makes you wonder...before digital cameras...what really happened to your negatives...

• Taylor B

  
  A crazy film that lets the viewer decide whether the central character is the protagonist or antagonist. The presentation of the story from the stalker's point of view gives the story a fresh twist, as you can actually have some sympathy for the character. The first hour of… More
  A crazy film that lets the viewer decide whether the central character is the protagonist or antagonist. The presentation of the story from the stalker's point of view gives the story a fresh twist, as you can actually have some sympathy for the character. The first hour of this film is flawless, so much so that I was disappointed when the film started to slack to what I felt was sort of an anticlimactic finale. Nevertheless, still a disturbing, excellent watch.

• Daniel H

  
  It continually smacks you into submission by attempting to prove how creepy Robin Williams character is, without actually requiring him to act it through. That isn't to say he isn't creepy... just not as much as the soundtrack makes him out to be. Still, it avoids cliche,… More
  It continually smacks you into submission by attempting to prove how creepy Robin Williams character is, without actually requiring him to act it through. That isn't to say he isn't creepy... just not as much as the soundtrack makes him out to be. Still, it avoids cliche, tailors its plot well (if a bit too slow... it takes the first 40 minutes for the film to realize that it needs to actually begin throwing in some actual plot developments, instead of just mood-setting scenes that remind you how obsessed he is), and overall manages to emerge with a character who can scare you without actually being physically imposing or violent... something which is not in much in vogue nowadays, and is a joy to see in modern film.

• A B

  
  Interesting story.

• Dean !

  
  A good thriller with a great performance by Robin Williams showing he can do more than funny voices! He plays the role of a strange, creepy photo developer who makes up for his lack of family and friends by thinking of himself as an uncle to a family whose photo's he develops.… More
  A good thriller with a great performance by Robin Williams showing he can do more than funny voices! He plays the role of a strange, creepy photo developer who makes up for his lack of family and friends by thinking of himself as an uncle to a family whose photo's he develops. Quite a strange film with a bit of a twist.

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