Rating:
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Bowman
One Hour Photo
USA, 2002
[Mark Romanek]
Robin Williams, Connie Neilsen, Michael Vartan, Gary Cole, Eriq La Salle
Thriller / Drama
Robin Williams plays Sy the photo guy. He is clean, he is neat and he is the perfect employee in Sav Mart. He is also obsessed with the perfect photo and we get a glimpse into his mind through his narrations which are his almost philosophical views on why people take photos. He has been working in the same place for far too long! It's probably not a good choice of job for Sy because working behind a one hour photo desk highlights what he doesn't have: friends, love, a family, any interests outside of work.

The story is nine years in the making because the gorgeous Yorkin family has been bringing their photos to be developed for that length of time. There are birthdays, romantic holidays, such happiness in these photos that it is not hard for Sy to fall for the idea of the perfect family, the perfect life and to envision himself as the perfect Uncle. Uncle Sy to the Yorkins.

What is frightening about this movie is that Sy is so many people who we come across in our daily lives, we greet them by name and they serve us, but we know so little about him. The same goes for Sy's employees who know him as an excellent developer and a bit on the quiet side but that is all.

When Sy becomes the perfect Uncle he takes on almost a propriety role of Nina and her son Jack and when he thinks that something is wrong in their perfect lives, he becomes obsessed. It's strange because I felt I was coming into the movie in the middle of the story and I felt that something was lacking although I couldn't decide what.

The cinematography was incredible, putting the Yorkins in a brighter light, surrounded by trees and nature and life. In comparison Sy was almost a background to a sterile environment, a greyish light which managed to make him look like a cadaver.

To me,
One Hour Photo was Robin Williams playing a psychotic role, but in a role that many people can relate to. Not getting the American Dream is bad enough, but when you are surrounded by the American Dream and then it doesn't turn out to be quite so attainable and that everyone, every single one of our lives can go wrong - this is Sy's undoing.
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