Critic's Corner: ONE HOUR PHOTO

This film, which can be rentedfrom your local video store, israted on a scale of 1 to 4 caducei:

ONE HOUR PHOTO

Insomnia

One Hour Photo

(2002):I sure hope thatOscar won't forgetabout thislittle film whenit comes timeto announce itsnominations. Asseen in ,Robin Williamsattempts onceagain to play a character whostrays from his usual comic persona.This time he hits a homerun. is the feature-film debut of music videoveteran Mark Romanek, andfrom the looks of this work, Ithink we can expect to see greatthings from him in the future.The plot follows the painfullylonely and isolated existence of afilm developer, Semour "Sy"Parrish (Williams). While employedat a Wal-Martesque processingcenter, Sy lives vicariouslythrough the photographs of a"picture perfect"family—a marriedcouple (Connie Nielson andMichael Vartan) and their 9-year-oldson (Dylan Smith). The filmturns into an almost sinisterthriller when Sy realizes that thefamily he has pinned all of hishopes and fantasies on is not soperfect. The cinematography inthis film is highly stylized and apleasure to watch, and Williams'performance is outstanding. Thisfilm is an unsettling nail-biter, butdefinitely worth your time.

Rating: 3.5

Lisa A. Tomaszewski , managing editor of

Physician's Money Digest, is currently

working on her PhD in literature at Drew

University in New Jersey. She is an avid

fan of film and has taught a summer film

course at Fairleigh Dickinson University.

She welcomes questions, comments, or

suggestions for future film reviews at

732-656-1140 ext. 195 or ltomaszewski@pmdnet.com.