One Hour Photo

Starring-Robin Williams Written and Directed by Mark Romanek Genre-Drama Sy Parrish is a photo tech at a supermarket. He is a faceless cog in the wheel kind of guy, the kind who you don’t take notice of and yet is an integral part of the system. He leads a lonely existence. He observes the Yorkin family (Nina, Will and their nine year old son Jake) through the pictures he develops since Jake’s birth and yet he is someone insignificant to them. Their family photos which he collects (and has plastered all over a wall in his house) is an escape from the drudgery of his existence. His admiration of the Yorkins becomes all-consuming. He discovers that Will is having an affair and now that he considers himself as uncle Sy to Jake he wants to make sure that Will’s indiscretion is stopped. His well meaning, but misguided attempts at doing so drives him over the edge. One Hour Photo is an examination of the isolation some individuals feel, which is a by-product of urbanization. In the hostile urban jungle someone like Sy looses his individuality and identity. The Yorkin family is a case study of a seemingly picture perfect family. Peep beneath the surface and the illusion bursts. But this movie is not about them. They are but a metaphor through which we look at Sy’s world.Sy craves acceptance and recognition of his kindness(he gifts people cameras on their Birthday’s without authorization to do so).There is no place for someone like Sy in a cutthroat, sterile and profit-at-all-cost driven environment like the superstore he works at and looses his job. Robin Williams as Sy is a revelation. He becomes the insecure and lonely character he portrays so much so that Sy is a real person you can almost feel. The photography by Jeff Cronenweth captures the mood perfectly (i.e. the monotone of urban America). The harsh lighting in the superstore the fade in and fade outs for certain scenes tell a tale by themselves. Mark Romanek has made an honest, sensitive movie exploring American society in a way only American Beauty has done in recent times. I just feel he could have done a little better on the characterization of the Yorkins.But I am not complaining. A most memorable movie.