As great as Robin Williams' comedies are, I have always been a huge fan of his dramatic work as well. One Hour Photo is a film that I had heard great things about, but never actually seen until now. This movie is terrifying and flat-out creepy, and further cements my love of the great Robin Williams.
One Hour Photo is the story of an employee of a photo lab who becomes obsessed with one particular family. This movie will creep you out in ways that you never thought were possible, and that is one of the countless reasons I loved it. Everything from the framing of the shots, to the acting, to the pacing is so perfect that you can feel the tension build until the very end. Watching Seymour Parrish (Robin Williams) become increasingly friendly towards his favorite family is extremely uncomfortable to watch. I must say that this film will make you feel very uneasy, and I highly suggest watching something fun and exciting afterwards to put your mind at ease.
Robin Williams disappears into character as Seymour Parrish. Now that I have have seen this film, this is one of my favorite dramatic performances of his. The brilliance of Williams' performance is that he plays the character as if there is this deep anger and hatred buried within him, which we ultimately see come out of him at the climax of the film. The scene in the hotel room is particularly jarring to watch. What is scary about Parrish is that he rationalizes his hobby as "just taking pictures". You will never watch Robin Williams the same way again after seeing this film. I guarantee it.
Mark Romanek is the director of One Hour Photo. I love the way he uses the camera in the film because you feel extremely uncomfortable watching what is taking place. There is also a brief sequence where we see how the photos are developed through the machines which is extraordinary. The sequences in Seymour Parrish's home, in particular, are very well done and are a direct reflection of what his life is like. I also love the cinematography in the film. Color is used to accentuate what Parrish is feeling, and it is actually quite beautiful to watch.
One Hour Photo is not a film you watch with your family on "movie night". This is a horrifying film that true film buffs will love, especially independent film lovers. As for my personal recommendation, I would say that if you are a fan of Robin Williams' dramatic work then you will definitely love this movie. Just be prepared to be a tad creeped out.
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