Robin Williams returns in yet another villainous role in music video director Mark Romanek's feature film debut, One Hour Photo. This dark film stands out from the rest of the films out right now with its quirky direction, dark theme, and different subject matter. As one critic said, this film will do for snapshots what Psycho did for showers!
Robin Williams is Seymour Parrish, the "photo guy" at the local Sav Mart one-hour photo department. For him, photo finishing is a fine art that has been perfected by himself. He is particularly obsessed with the seemingly perfect family, the Yorkins. Nina Yorkin (Connie Nielsen) is a frequent visitor to his Sav-Mart and has been having her photos taken there ever since before her 7-year-old son was there. To her, Seymour is just the photo guy. To Seymour, he feels as though he is part of the family. When some interesting situations develop before his eyes, he goes on a tangent.
Romanek does an excellent job for a first time director and uses some great techniques giving the film a unique and different look in some scenes. The acting of Williams as the deeply disturbed Seymour is excellent.
The story is a bit slow and yields to typical conclusions merely serving as a vehicle for Romanek's refreshing direction and Williams' strong performance. There is something surprising about the conclusion but it's not the kind of surprise you expected. An odd and interesting film, One Hour Photo is more art than entertainment. The director appears to be making a few statements here in a not so subtle way here. Check it out if you like psychological dramas, Robin Williams, or modern morality tales.
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