One Hour Photo (2002)
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81% of critics liked it
(193 reviews) -
57% of users liked it
(157,495 ratings)
Funnyman Robin Williams steps out of character in this tense, low-key thriller that marked the feature-film directorial debut of music video veteran Mark Romanek. Semour "Sy" Parrish (Williams) runs the photo processing department at a large discount store; Sy is dedicated to his job, and… More Funnyman Robin Williams steps out of character in this tense, low-key thriller that marked the feature-film directorial debut of music video veteran Mark Romanek. Semour "Sy" Parrish (Williams) runs the photo processing department at a large discount store; Sy is dedicated to his job, and takes great pride in his work. Sy's favorite customers are Nina and Will Yorkin (Connie Nielsen and Michael Vartan), an attractive and cheerful young couple with a nine-year-old boy, Jake (Dylan Smith). Sy dotes on the Yorkins and their son whenever they drop off film to be processed -- something they've been doing quite often ever since Jake was born -- and Nina and Will are indulgent of Sy's attentions, regarding his as a harmless eccentric. What the Yorkins don't know is Sy is a desperately lonely man with no real life of his own, and he's been obsessively making copies of their photos, for years, imagining himself to be "Uncle Sy," a member of the family. Sy's tenuous hold on reality begins to collapse when he develops a roll of film brought in by a new customer that suggests Will has been unfaithful to Nina; the notion that his ideal family may be falling apart is troubling enough for Sy, and when he loses his job, Sy reaches the breaking point. One Hour Photo was screened in competition at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Mark Romanek
- Written By
- Mark Romanek
- Genres
- Mystery & Suspense, Drama
- In Theaters
- Aug 21, 2002 Wide
- Studio
- Fox Searchlight
Critic Reviews
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Todd McCarthy, Variety
This immaculately made first feature from noted musicvid and commercials director Mark Romanek provides Robin Williams with one of his creepiest, atypical roles, and the comic star responds with an unusually restrained performance...
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, Time Out
It has arresting things to say about how the family photo is used less to record than to project, and how far that projection can be from the truth.
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Peter Rainer, New York Magazine
Sy's scary ordinariness is a species of acting stunt. There's no there there.
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Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel
Not entirely satisfying as either a creepfest or a character study.
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Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Romanek's themes are every bit as distinctive as his visuals. Beyond the cleverness, the weirdness and the pristine camerawork, One Hour Photo is a sobering meditation on why we take pictures.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Robin Williams
as Seymour "Sy" Parrish
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Connie Nielsen
as Nina Yorkin
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Michael Vartan
as Will Yorkin
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Gary Cole
as Bill Owens
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Dylan Smith
as Jake Yorkin
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Eriq La Salle
as Detective Van Der Zee
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Erin Daniels
as Maya Burson
- Andrew A Rolfes
- Paul H. Kim
- Carmen Mormino
- Paul Hansen Kim
- Marion Calvert
- David Moreland



