What it’s about
Sy Parrish, the photo developer at the nearby quasi-Wal-Mart outlet (Williams), is one of those anonymous, overlooked people whom we all see but never know. The Yorkins, including mom Nina (Nielsen), dad Will (Vartan) and son Jake (Smith), are regular customersand particularfavorites of Sy’s, whose empty life feeds a growing obsession with this young, attractive family. Soon Sy is crossing some serious boundaries, and the Yorkins’ placid life will never be the same .
Why we love it
Shudder-inducing thriller marks an impressive writing/directing debut for Mark Romanek, and after “Insomnia,” another virtuoso, non-comedic turn by Williams. This tale of Sy “the photo guy” hits uncomfortably close to home, evoking countless people we casually encounter every day; human beings whose apparent isolation we instinctively turn away from. This ingenious film plays out what might happen if any of us got a little too friendly with the wrong individual. One Hour Photo will make you grateful that someone finally invented the digital camera.
Robin Williams, Connie Nielsen, Dylan Smith, Michael Vartan Mark Romanek