Written by Madeleine Lear

Mark Romanek’s 2002 film One Hour Photo is a psychological thriller starring Robin Williams in one of his most unsettling roles. Primarily known for his comedic talent, Williams makes a startling departure here, taking on the role of Sy Parrish, commonly referred to throughout the film as “Sy the photo guy”, a photo technician who has dedicated 10 years of his life to developing film in a supermarket. Sy is a desperately lonely, quiet soul who wishes for nothing more than to feel loved and wanted, leading him to form a perturbing obsession with one of his customers, Nina Yorkin (Connie Nielsen), and her seemingly perfect suburban family. Rather than wanting to replace anyone in the Yorkin family, Sy simply wants to be included, however on finding out about Nina’s husband’s affair, Sy takes it upon himself to punish Will Yorkin (Michael Vartan) in a way he sees fit. From here, the film takes a much darker turn as we follow Sy’s slow decent into delusion as he goes to extreme lengths to attempt to avenge his shattered fantasy and lost childhood innocence.

Romanek, being a very visual director, skillfully extends the film’s sense of unease into its mise en scene. Sy is never free of his inner turmoil and so never seems to feel comfortable in any of his surroundings- from the sterile, blinding white light of the SavMart to his own home. Framing many scenes in a tableu vivant style Romanek created living paintings, seemingly drawing inspiration from director Roy Andersson and artist Edward Hopper, to trap Sy within the frame. Sy’s pale, insipid appearance camouflages him into the muted colours of his prison cell of an apartment, isolating him, insinuating a coldness to his home reflecting his detachment from life and a longing for connection. So much of the film is sitting, watching, thinking, waiting- we realise Sy is trapped not only in his world but also in his past from which he can’t heal alone. 

As a psychological thriller, One Hour Photo delves into the intricate depths of the human mind, exploring themes of obsession, isolation and voyeurism, prompting viewers to confront the darkness inside us and the people we encounter daily. However, Williams’ portrayal of Sy, while still evoking a sense of disturbance, elicits a strong sympathy for him. Williams’ heart-wrenching performance carefully builds tension as it peels back the layers of Sy’s fragile psyche, proving Sy isn’t a psychotic, evil caricature but rather a broken human being with no real identity, tragically struggling with no source of help and therefore finding reason to live through the lives of others. Sy exists within a society which views people who are alone as undeserving of love and is therefore punished. The terrors within this film come from the fact that we as an audience can find a reflection of ourselves in him. At the end of the day, what is more human than to want to be wanted?