One Hour Photo (2002)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Mark Romanek

Writer (WGA):

Mark Romanek (written by)

Release Date:

13 September 2002 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The things that we fear the most have already happened to us...

Plot:

An employee of a one-hour photo lab becomes obsessed with a young suburban family.

Plot Keywords:

Department Store | Photography | Tears | Theft | Baby

Awards:

5 wins & 14 nominations

Cast

Robin Williams	...	Seymour Parrish
Connie Nielsen	...	Nina Yorkin
Michael Vartan	...	Will Yorkin
Dylan Smith	...	Jakob Yorkin
Erin Daniels	...	Maya Burson
Paul H. Kim	...	Yoshi Araki (as Paul Hansen Kim)
Lee Garlington	...	Waitress
Gary Cole	...	Bill Owens
Marion Calvert	...	Mrs. Von Unwerth
David Moreland	...	Mr. Siskind
Shaun P. O'Hagan	...	Young Father
Jim Rash	...	Amateur Porn Guy
Nick Searcy	...	Repairman
Dave Engfer	...	Sav-Mart Clerk
Jimmy Shubert	...	Soccer Coach

Also Known As:

Retratos de una obsesión (Argentina) (Mexico) (Peru) (Spain) [es]
One Hour Photo (Austria) (Germany) [de]
Photo obsession (Canada: French title) (France) [fr]
Baski (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Kiirfoto (Estonia) [et]
One Hour Photo (Finland) (DVD box title) [fi]
One Hour Photo - Ich beobachte dich (Germany) (TV title) [de]
Retratos de uma Obsessão (Brazil) [pt]
Sötétkamra (Hungary) [hu]
Skoteinos thalamos (Greece) [el]
Stalker (Japan: English title) [en]
Tunnin kuva (Finland) [fi]
Zabranjene fotografije (Croatia) [hr]

MPAA:

Rated R for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | USA:R (certificate #38597) | Finland:K-11 | Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/12 | Ireland:18 | South Korea:15 | Germany:12 (f) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Brazil:14 | Canada:14A | France:U | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:12 (canton of the Grisons) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | Philippines:R-18

Filming Locations:

Brentwood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Fox Searchlight Pictures

Trivia:

The number "23" appears frequently throughout the movie. Catch 23 is the production company.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Sy is sitting in Mr. Owen's office, the position of his hands instantaneously change between camera angles. At first his right hand is rested on his left forearm, than instantly switches to his fingers being interlaced, than back to the previous position.

Quotes:

Detective James Van Der Zee: [Sy sits alone handcuffed in a sterile police interrogation room, door buzzes and Van Der Zee walks in] We processed the roll of film we found in your bag, Mr. Parrish. They're not very pretty pictures. Also, you left the camera in the hotel. We processed that roll as well.
Sy Parrish: Can I see them?
Detective James Van Der Zee: That's not a courtesy, Mr. Parrish. This is evidence.
Sy Parrish: Do you guys have your own lab or do you have to send it out?
Detective James Van Der Zee: We have a lab.
[pauses]
Detective James Van Der Zee: Your legal aide should be here within 30 minutes or so. Now you understand you don't have to talk to me until she gets here if you don't want to. You know that, Sy?
[Sy nods and affirms]
Detective James Van Der Zee: Good. Sy, can I ask you one question?
Sy Parrish: Sure.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

Dear Jacqui

clinical stalking for williams

well it was a pleasant surprise to see williams in this type of role and succeeding. although he played the very questionable (and dodgy) killer in insomnia, his role in one hour photo was very near perfect in this minor gem of a film. granted williams has been actively pursuing these alternative roles of late and yes it could be construed as being a cynical move on his behalf, however this does not detract from the fact that his role in photo was scarily on the mark.

the directors (romanek) flair for colour synchronicity and immaculate art direction does not stray far from his beginnings as a music video director, however it is this attention to detail and precision that accentuates williams when he chooses to lose the plot. a memorable scene in the film of william's characters eyes squirting blood is in stark contrast to the ordered white formica and polished chrome surfaces that intimate to the spectator a feeling of staring intently at snapshots of a desperate man's life.

if this film was to have any criticism is in the roles of the supporting actors. they are hardly fleshed out and as a spectator i felt that at times i was watching the robin william's rebirth show, however this is a minor point. if i were to mark this out of 10 i would give it a strong 8.