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By Ryan Greis
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Robin Williams' creepy character in One Hour
Photo has more than a little Norman Bates from
Psycho.
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Great comedians are always capable of surprising their audiences. For instance, Charlie Chaplin shocked long-time fans with his 1947 film, Monsieur Verdoux, where he ditched his "little tramp" character to play the murderer of wealthy women.
In writer/director Mark Romanek's riveting thriller One Hour Photo, Robin Williams sheds his comic sass to play Seymour Parrish, a middle-aged bachelor who runs the photo-processing section at a discount store. Parrish is obsessed with one particular family, the Yorkins -- Nina (Connie Nielsen), her absentee husband, Will (Michael Vartan), and their little boy, Jakob (Dylan Smith).
Nina and Jakob are in the store regularly to process their family photos, and Parrish begins to see them like extended family. It's not that he covets the Yorkins' affluence -- he just wants to be their Uncle Sy.
I don't know if audiences are ready to watch Williams in such an unsentimental role. I do know he delivers one of the year's best performances in One Hour Photo.
Chaplin allowed occasional bursts of slapstick to creep into Monsieur Verdoux, but Williams keeps a straight face throughout One Hour Photo. You won't see one glimpse of his funnyman persona, and that's bound to bother people who only want him to play the clown or act in feel-good fluff like Patch Adams. Still, moviegoers willing to accept Williams acting against type will stumble across one of the year's best thrillers.
One Hour Photo is essentially about Williams. Wisely, Romanek also surrounds his star with strong support. Nielsen, last seen in Gladiator, keeps the drama moving as the superficial wife and mother who falls for Parrish's manipulations. Vartan offers little more than a handsome face as the oblivious husband, but I think that's the point of his character.
Gary Cole makes the most of his brief screen time as Parrish's smarmy boss. Smith is believable as young Jakob, the one character who possesses a pure heart.
Earlier this summer, Williams was equally creepy in Insomnia, playing the main suspect for a murder in a small Alaskan town. Earlier in his career, Good Morning, Vietnam, Dead Poet's Society and Good Will Hunting all showcased solid, dramatic performances from Williams. Still, none of these movies compare to what he accomplishes in One Hour Photo.
Free of any large action sequences to grab the audience's attention, Williams remains in the spotlight throughout the film. His round, full face is remarkable in a series of close-ups (courtesy of director of photography Jeff Cronenweth). A receding hairline makes his face appear wider and creepier. These still moments are some of the richest in the film, emphasizing its stark score by Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek.
Romanek skillfully captures Parrish's fastidious nature. His blue work vest remains crisply ironed. He takes his job very seriously, arguing with a repairman about the color setting on the store's photo-developing machine.
I like how One Hour Photo treats Parrish seriously instead of portraying his blue-collar job and Wal-Mart-like surroundings with cynical irony. Romanek tells his story confidently, slowly building his themes regarding the vacant lives found in many suburban McMansions like the one owned by the Yorkins. This is Romanek's first film, but it also has the deliberate tempo of a seasoned storyteller.
Romanek has directed acclaimedmusic videos for most of his career, including Nine Inch Nails' "Closer" which has become part of the permanent collection of New York's Musuem of Modern Art. There are times when One Hour Photo is too stylish for its own good. Midway into the film, the story crashes to a nightmarish halt when Parrish screams and blood spews from his eyes. It's an avant-garde moment that feels out of place in such a straightforward movie.
Emphasizing the bleached colors of Parrish' discount store surroundings, One Hour Photo is frequently too glossy. Romanek wants audiences to see it as a work of art, but I wish he would have settled for simply telling a creepy story. Still, it's Romanek's filmmaking debut and it's an impressive beginning, telling a suspense tale that's smart and satisfying from start to finish.
I don't know if the last scene in One Hour Photo is meant as a homage to Psycho, but it feels that way. Chill for chill, Williams' Parrish is every bit as creepy as Anthony Perkins' Norman Bates.
For the time being, I wouldn't be bothered if Williams took a long hiatus from screen comedies. One Hour Photo is enough to make me forget him as the crazy clown.
CityBeat grade: B.
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