The Popkorn Junkie :: One Hour Photo

My trips to the Big Apple are usually very entertaining and very successful, but my most recent trip may have been the most fruitful of them all, an exquisite tour of some of those famous New York haunts, and a trip to the local cinema to see a film I have heard incredible things about, this film, of course, being "One Hour Photo".

I have been following this film for quite some time, from pre-production, through completion, into the Sundance Film Festival, and all the way up to not more than six hours ago when I finally got the chance to view the film. I don't know if I had ever been this excited about watching a movie--if I have, it has been a long while. So, with my Twizzlers and Mello Yello in hand, I leaned back into my plush theatre seat and awaited one hell of a fantastic movie watching experience. Was I disappointed? Hell no.

Wow. "One Hour Photo" is the story of Sy Parrish, a local photo clerk who develops an unhealthy obsession with a local family, the Yorkins, who have been using his lab to develop their pictures for years. Sy had silently watched as their family has grown and his obsession reaches new levels of creepiness when he discovers everything isn't so perfect in the Yorkin household. Sy begins to try and manipulate the lives of the Yorkin's and becomes extremely disturbed when his plans do not work as he had anticipated, leading to one of the most fulfilling and haunting endings of any film I have seen this year, even surpassing "Signs" in the incredible ending department.

Robin Williams is flawless and magnetic as Sy Parrish, a truly pitiful character who maintains this lovable, yet pure evil appearance throughout the film. Williams has the uncanny ability to play characters like a cross-dressing nanny and a bumbling doctor, but can then settle down into a sinister role as he does in this film, and as he did in "Insomnia". If Williams is not recognized by the Academy for his outstanding achievement in this film, it will be one of the greatest travesties in the history of the Oscars--almost as horrible as Bill Murray being snubbed for "Rushmore" or Debbie Reynolds being snubbed for "Mother".

Connie Nielsen and Michael Vartan are also exceptional in their roles, as the normal suburbian family who find themselves trapped in Sy's nightmare world of order and familiarity. It was also nice to see Gary Cole and Eriq LaSalle pop up in entertaining roles.

Director Mark Romanek, best know as a music video director of such bands as R.E.M. and Nine Inch Nails, is an incredible talent behind the camera and really pulls a tour de force with this picture. His vision of the retail store in which Sy works paralleled Williams' character perfectly and gave it's own creepy and sinister vibe to the audience.

I watched this film in a theatre than was rather large, and I had to fight for a seat. I kid you not when I say that every single seat in the theatre was filled, though I do believe that was some sort of fire code violation. Upon exiting the theatre, I was sure to notice the expressions of some of the other people who had watched the film and I do not recall seeing one solitary frown. I truly believe everyone in the theatre enjoyed "One Hour Photo". My sincere hope is that this film will receive a wide release very soon, so that others can view this masterpiece for themselves. Did I like this movie better than "Signs"? Not quite, but I can guarantee it will make my end of the year lists. "One Hour Photo" is one kick-ass picture.

-- Billy Ray ( 4 out of 4 pops )

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Other Junkie's opinions.....

Matt ( 4 out of 4 pops )

I'm so glad this movie is receiving a wide release. When I found out the movie was playing at my local cinema, I literally jumped at the chance to see it. Well, all the hype was true, this is a truly magnificent motion picture! It's one of the best films I've seen this year, or any year! Robin Williams' performance is absolutely incredible, even topping his great performances in "Good Will Hunting," "Dead Poet's Society" and this year's "Insomnia". There's a couple of performances this year that deserve an Oscar nod, but I made my final decision: Robin Williams must take home the Oscar statuette! I've never seen a character so likable, yet so creepy, and Robin pulls it off perfectly. Naturally, you're creeped out by Sy and his obsession with this family, but you also feel sorry for him. He lives alone, has no friends, no wife and this is why he fantasizes about being in this seemingly perfect family. Behind that constant grin is a lot of pain and yearning. There's no predictable Hollywood contrivances that you would expect in a film like this. There wasn't a single moment where I thought to myself, "There's no way that could've happened." The story moves at a deliberate pace (which some audiences--like the crowd who cheered at "XXX"--might find boring), but that's because the film is mainly driven by its characters and the writer-director doesn't force them into contrived, oddball situations to manipulate the audience. The film has no (physical) violence, yet it's one of the most terrifying films I've ever seen. Did you hear that, Hollywood? You don't need blood and guts to create suspense. Everything from the creepy score to the wonderful cinematography to the beautiful lighting is absolutely brilliant. This is the kind of movie that should be shown in film school classes. It was made on a low budget, but it doesn't show one bit. "One Hour Photo" is intriguing, terrifying, beautifully acted, beautifully made and it's a MUST-SEE!!