’’One Hour Photo’’ this a great movie Ive watched several times. I was actually
going to publish a review on it on the abusive sites I mentioned but didn’t get a chance till now. Anyone who calls themselves a movie critic has to review it and point out how great it is.
Robin Williams who has made his career as a clown early on in ’’Mork And Mindy’’ to the slimy carsalesman in ’’Cadillac Man’’ to Leslie Zevo in Toys but underneath
all that comedic talent lies a talented dramatic actor.
Remember ’’Good Morning Vietnam’’, ’’Dead Poets Society’’ , and ’’Good Will Hunting’’?
These were all great movies showcasing the dramatic talent of Robin Williams.
Obviously dumb critics new and old who thought Williams just did comedy were wrong (including the same critics from other sites I pointed out).
So here we are in 2002 and Williams delivers another great dramatic performances, possibly his darkest and best perforamence.
Under great director Mark Romanek who never really did a good film for several years, Williams portrays an isolated but warm human being named Sy Parrish, a guy who was worked at the same photo mart for all his life. Everyone loves Sy well everyone except his abusive and obnoxious boss Bill Owens (Gary Cole) He is a typical example of the scum that runs a company for his own personal profit while portraying this fake nice guy image which of course Sy knows is a lie.
Sy is an expert in photography however director Romanek takes things a step
further portraying saying as an obsessive photo collector which people can take it
as good or bad. I took it as good, here is a guy who takes enough pride in his work to collect everything he has done. In fact it is this obsession which helps Sy uncovers the infedility of a selfish married man and the lies he has given to his family. In fact many critics failed to realize this labeling the Sy character as an obsessive voyeur/killer in the making.
But lets get to the actual movie.
As said Sy works in the photo mart and comes to collect and process over a 10 yr
period the magical kodak moments of the Yorkin family, Nina (Connie Nielsen)
, Will (Michael Vartan) and their son Jake (Dyland Smith).
Sy has processed their prints for years and almost is a part of their family.
Sy though of course obsessively collects his own personal prints to reflect back
on what a great family they are and this is what gets Sy into trouble with
Bill (Cole).
Bill realizes that several prints of customers have been missing and he realizes
it must be Sy. He fires Sy delivering some corporate crap which is meant to only save
his behind. However Sy though before he is fired uncovers the fact that Will Yorkin
despite his Mr. Clean family man image has actually been sleeping around with another woman and lying to his family about it.
Sy in a great intelligent scene stuffs the prints of evidence together with the Yorkin
prints thus having Ms. Yorkin uncovering her husband vile actions.
Sy of course is not contempt with this as he realizes the hurt the family is going
through so he stakes out Will’s plans for the night which you guessed include having sex with the other woman. However Sy plans to catch them in the act
and teach them a lesson they will never forget.
I loved Robin Williams in this film he was exceptional. We see another great
dramatic performance by Williams. He is fantastic even surpassing some supposed
great overhyped dramatic actors like Anthony Hopkins.
I didnt like the fact that Mark Romanek portrays the character as this dark and
menacing, obsessive evil guy near the end. when he is not.
The Sy character never until the end never shows any signs of violence. He is as kind as one guy working at boring photo mart can be.
This is a great movie nonetheless and Williams through this character makes
us think as to the actual value of what goes into a photo. It’s a image in time
made of joy usually, however it shows that photos do not tell the whole story.
Obviouslly Will Yorkin is a cheating husband, something that he hides very well
till the end.
Sy Parrish though in a twist of irony, if you really think about it , turns out to be
the most honest character in the movie, as he exposes the lies of this man
while at the same leaving himself vulnerable to others.
’’One Hour Photo’’ is a great movie possibly the best dramatic I’ve seen in a while.