One Hour Photo

Name: One Hour Photo
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Released: August 21, 2002
Duration: 96 min
Rating: 64
Cast: Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan, Robin Williams

2002

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 35 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 117 Ratings

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5.5

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5.5	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 117 Ratings

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One Hour Photo

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Movie Details & Credits

Fox Searchlight Pictures | Release Date: August 21, 2002 | R

Starring: Connie Nielsen, Michael Vartan, Robin Williams

Summary: A young suburban family finds themselves the objects of obsession of an employee (Williams) at their local one-hour photo lab.

Director: Mark Romanek

Genre(s): Drama, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 96 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

New Times (L.A.) Luke Y. Thompson

Robin Williams just may have found the greatest role of his career. Playing beautifully both to fans and haters, Williams' Sy is a character you don't know whether to hug or go vigilante on his ass, a balance Bob Hoskins couldn't quite capture in "Felicia's Journey."

Roger Ebert

Watching the film, I thought of Michael Powell's great 1960 British thriller "Peeping Tom," which was about a photographer who killed his victims with a stiletto concealed in his camera. Sy uses a psychological stiletto, but he's the same kind of character. Read full review

Desson Thomson

Intense and absorbing experience. Read full review

Ken Fox

Too bad that Romanek feels compelled to tie it all up with a banal pop psych explanation that offers an all-too simplistic solution to an otherwise uncommonly complex thriller. Read full review

Marjorie Baumgarten

Offers a very interesting snapshot of some decidedly modern pathologies. Read full review

Manohla Dargis

All too predictably, as if obeying some rule of genre, the director trades in his more involved ideas about alienation and voyeurism for an eruption of violence, then tags on some nonsense about marital fidelity. Read full review

Charles Taylor

An art-house horror movie, and like most art-house versions of genre films, all the vitality and juice of genre conventions have been sucked right out. The irony of the movie is that it puts you into the same torpor that's supposed to be afflicting the characters. Read full review

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User Reviews

Deanomite

Jul 12, 2020

This is a movie with a lot to say. About community, family, privacy and trust. I don't really see Robin Williams as the villain, I think it is interesting that we feel inclined to call him a villain when he is as much a part of the community as anyone, if not the family. I think it isThis is a movie with a lot to say. About community, family, privacy and trust. I don't really see Robin Williams as the villain, I think it is interesting that we feel inclined to call him a villain when he is as much a part of the community as anyone, if not the family. I think it is interesting his character lives in a time that doesn't really exist anymore, like the video store person or librarian.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

AlyD.

Aug 1, 2006

I just wanted to comment on what someone said. It is very hard to see Robin Williams as a villain. It makes you uncomfortable but that shows how well Williams plays the part. He plays the villain very well. If it didn't make us a little uncomfortable then there is a problem.

0 of 0 users found this helpful

muzicman17

Mar 18, 2012

Here we have a near-perfect thriller told in classic Hitchcoc fashion. The acting and storytelling is great, and Robin Williams does really come off as one of the creepiest roles I have seen him in. Even with his creepiness, we sympathize with him and want him to succeed - at least to someHere we have a near-perfect thriller told in classic Hitchcoc fashion. The acting and storytelling is great, and Robin Williams does really come off as one of the creepiest roles I have seen him in. Even with his creepiness, we sympathize with him and want him to succeed - at least to some extent. The story and pacing of this film both are great, and it really is a film Alfred Hitchcoc would produce if he were still alive today. I really enjoyed this movie from start to finish. The chemistry between the characters and the many twists in the story make this a wonderful little gem well worth your time to watch.… Expand

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

Cotts1988

Apr 29, 2011

A chilling atmosphere and a great performance by Robin Williams, truly demonstrating what a good actor he is (if you need further proof just watch Insomnia). One Hour Photo is a gripping and intense portrayal of loneliness and its potential effects. The film is let down by a slightly poorA chilling atmosphere and a great performance by Robin Williams, truly demonstrating what a good actor he is (if you need further proof just watch Insomnia). One Hour Photo is a gripping and intense portrayal of loneliness and its potential effects. The film is let down by a slightly poor ending, yet this does not detract too much from the experience.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Spangle

Jan 8, 2016

A creepy and slow-building chiller, One Hour Photo is unnerving and hard to watch at times due to how creepy its main character is. Brilliantly, portrayed by Robin Williams, this film perfectly captures the creepy outsider who starts to try and meddle his way into a family he has observedA creepy and slow-building chiller, One Hour Photo is unnerving and hard to watch at times due to how creepy its main character is. Brilliantly, portrayed by Robin Williams, this film perfectly captures the creepy outsider who starts to try and meddle his way into a family he has observed for a long time, thanks to the them having him develop all of their pictures. As he gets closer and closer, the tension builds and builds and this one truly takes some weird and creepy turns that I did not expect, but all the same, it winds up being a very compelling psychological thriller that really gets you going and serves as a great character study thanks to the subtle, yet brilliant performance from Williams. Well directed, well shot, and well written, One Hour Photo is not a great film, but it is certainly one that will hook you in and creep you out, which is all you can really ask for.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Compi24

May 22, 2015

A true testament to the cinematic versatility of Robin Williams, "One Hour Photo" is a subtle, contained, sick-to-your stomach thriller tinged with Mark Romanek's signature aesthetic flair.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

imthenoob

Aug 7, 2019

A solid performance by Williams doesn't stop this film from being mediocre. There wasn't much dialogue, Some parts of the film felt needless or out of place and I thought that they made the film too much about Williams' character and not enough about the family he is stalking.

Another bigA solid performance by Williams doesn't stop this film from being mediocre. There wasn't much dialogue, Some parts of the film felt needless or out of place and I thought that they made the film too much about Williams' character and not enough about the family he is stalking.

Another big reason why it's so mediocre is because of studio involvement. Originally the film was supposed to be longer and featured a lot more dialogue but the studio stepped in to curb that idea in hopes of being more of a commercial success. Would that have made the film a masterpiece? Probably not but it more than likely would have made for a better film.… Expand

0 of 1 users found this helpful01

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67	#67 Most Discussed Movie of 2002
98	#98 Most Shared Movie of 2002