One Hour Photo

One Hour Photo features the kind of spare, minimalist score not heard often in the 2000s. It's reminiscent of the subtle, yet insidious music in David Lynch's Eraserhead or Todd Haynes' Safe (Haynes has cited Brian Eno as an influence). Composers Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek, in concert with German director Tom Tykwer, were also behind the scores for Run Lola Run and The Princess and the Warrior, but they take things down several few notches here. In addition, they add chimes and other effects that lend a lullaby or quaint music box-like quality to some of the pieces (think Rosemary's Baby). Sy Parrish (Robin Williams in peak form) is the main character: a photo developer in a suburban superstore who becomes obsessed with longtime customer Nina Yorkin (Connie Nielsen). He's convinced she has the perfect family (he doesn't ). He becomes even more obsessed when he discovers he's wrong and sets out to "fix" the family's problems. Just as first-time writer/director Mark Romanek skillfully ratchets up the tension in this underrated psychological thriller, Heil and Klimek's soundtrack is as an invaluable aid in that process. ~ Kathleen C. Fennessy, Rovi