Disregarding his stand-up career, Robin Williams has spent roughly thirty years as a face well-loved by children, and being a shoe-in for family-friendly comedy movies. He has a natural talent for being a flamboyant entertainer in a way that particularly appeals to children, with roles in Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire and Flubber solidifying his stature in the nineties. And that's why his role in thriller One Hour Photo is so utterly disturbing. Williams plays photograph technician Sy Parrish, who develops an extremely unhealthy relationship with a family whose photos he produces. Gradually, as his behavior becomes more erratic and his discrepancies are uncovered by his employer, he is fired, which triggers him to snap, and seek revenge on the father of the family, whom he had previously discovered is cheating on his wife. Sy appears to be simultaneously emotionless and extremely emotionally unstable, having a customer service persona of blandness lying precariously over a violently lonely personality beneath. The character stalks the family without their knowledge or even suspicion, to the point where his is seen sat alone, watching their son play baseball, which is immediately an unsettling image, regardless of his intentions. Furthermore, the changes to Williams' appearance are also somewhat unnerving, as his bleached blond hair and bright blue eyes make him seem somehow robotic, and most definitely not human. His overall performance, coupled with his history of being in family-friendly productions means that Robin Williams takes the glory of having the most unexpectedly disturbing performance I have yet seen in film. Has anyone been missed out? Do you agree or disagree with the choices made? Let us know in the comments section below.
