One Hour Photo

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One Hour Photo ★★★ 2002 (R)

Creepy thriller with Williams treading new ground as Seymour Parrish, Sy the Photo Guy, a disturbed and disturbing one-hour photo clerk. While seeming the mild Milquetoast, Sy becomes a tad obsessed with the suburban Yorkin family, idealizing them in the process. After years of viewing their happiest moments frozen in time, he decides to get involved in their lives when he sees trouble brewing. A breakthrough performance by Williams, he creates an off-kilter character that is surprisingly sympathetic. Romanek's direction is clever and extremely stylish, avoiding cliche, to craft a gripping psychodrama. 98m/C VHS, DVD . US Robin Williams, Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan, Gary Cole, Eriq La Salle, Dylan Smith, Erin Daniels, Andy Comeau; D: Mark Romanek; W: Mark Romanek; C: Jeff Cronenweth; M: Reinhold Heil, Johnny Klimek.