A wasted 98 minutes. Review on One Hour Photo Movie

With eager fingers, I press the remote for the channel to the new Robin Williams movie - One-Hour Photo. The trailers were obscure and left a lot of us starving for more. If anyone gets an award for this movie, it should be the marketing guys!

Without further ado, let us begin the autopsy…….

Robin Williams is Seymour Parrish

Working for a One Hour Photo shop in a Savemart for over a decade, Sy leads his life in sepia tones. His obsession with the Yorkin family seems to be based on the fact of their prosperity and stability in the society as a family unit. With him and the Yorkin family in the neighborhood for the last 10 years, Sy knows pretty much everything about the Yorkins. A glimpse into his apartment reveals a wall plastered with the photographs of the developing years of the Yorkin family. His obsession leads him to fantasize a filial relationship with them in the role of uncle.

When it comes to light to Sy that the head of the family is having an extra marital affair, his world is torn apart. His imaginary ideal family picture is shattered and vengeance burns deep in his heart. His untimely termination of employment tends to leave the viewer with the impression that the photo guy is not playing with a full deck. A stolen knife and a steady surveillance of Will Yorkins movements, makes one ponder on his next move. It seems apparent that Sy will hold no bars to arrest the affair and get his family back. The question is: Will he?

Connie Nielsen is Nina Yorkin

As a housewife, Nina nurtures and cares for her nine year old son Jake (Dylan Smith). Her love for her husband is only limited by his negligent attitude towards her and their son. It is Nina who spends her time taking photographs of her family and giving it to Sy for developing.

Through the benevolence of Sy, she finds out that her husband is having an affair with an old college friend. Though upset, it seems to have no impact on the family life which is already fraying at the edges. This unexpected reaction to what should have been an unpropitious argument between the husband and wife, puzzles Sy who then doubles his efforts at making this family the one he dreamt of.

Michael Vartan is Will Yorkin

As the sole breadwinner of the family, Will is at his wits end to provide for his family’s needs and demands. Will is only human and he is soon driven into an affair with an old college flame, Maya Burson (Erin Daniels). Little does he know that the very stability of his family is the foundation of sanity for Sy.

The story

In the perceivably colorless life of Sy, one senses a vacuum, which Sy seems to fill with the photographs of the Yorkin family over the decade. He is a non-assertive and conscientious worker. As a psychological thriller, the director is trying to take us into the mind of Sy and how he thinks. It comes across as cryptic at best and deadpan at worst. Seymour’s pitiable attempts at indoctrinating himself into the Yorkin family are shrugged off by the family.

What I think about it!

The movie moves swiftly and Robin Williams performance is admirable. The musical score is understated and perfectly suited to this movie. The make up is very good. It was interesting watching the transformation of an otherwise very colorful character into a monotonous one. The movie is, however, bland and colourless as the main character himself. Though the end is totally unpredictable, as the movie progresses, one can vaguely deduce that there isn’t going to be much to write home about! Director Mark Romanek direction cannot be faulted though he should have stuck to directing and left the writing to someone else.

What remains to be said is that the movie is sadly inadequate for a Robin Williams fan and leaves you with a sunken anti-climax feeling. The story could have been more interesting but when the right formula is missing, it can prove quite disastrous as I am sure most of you have found out.