What’s the most underrated movie you’ve ever watched?

There are plenty of films I could mention, but if I had to pick one that deserves far more recognition, it would be One Hour Photo, starring Robin Williams.

Because bloody hell, was he good in this one.

Not the Robin Williams we expected

We all know Williams as the funny man, the bloke who could have you laughing before you’d even caught your breath.

But here, he plays Seymour “Sy” Parrish, a lonely photo technician who develops a disturbing obsession with a family whose pictures he processes.

On the surface, Sy seems harmless enough. Quiet, polite, ordinary. The sort of chap you’d barely give a second glance.

But underneath that mild exterior, something is seriously wrong.

A performance that gets under your skin

What makes Williams so brilliant is how little he needs to do. No dramatic outbursts or theatrical villainy. Just those unsettling looks, awkward smiles and long, uncomfortable pauses.

There’s a sadness about Sy, too. You almost feel sorry for the bloke, until his behaviour takes a darker turn.

And that’s the clever bit. Williams makes you see the loneliness without ever excusing the disturbing behaviour it feeds.

It’s a remarkable performance, and a far cry from the Robin Williams most of us remember.

The horror of being ordinary

One Hour Photo doesn’t need monsters or cheap jump scares. Its horror is much closer to home.

It’s the uncomfortable thought that someone can appear perfectly ordinary while hiding a deeply troubled world beneath the surface.

Williams makes Sy believable, unsettling and, at times, genuinely chilling. That’s far more effective than any amount of blood and thunder.

So why is it underrated?

Perhaps people associate Williams too closely with comedy. Perhaps the film simply slipped under the radar for many viewers.

Whatever the reason, I reckon it deserves far more attention.

For me, it’s one of his finest performances: restrained, haunting and proof that the man had extraordinary range.

My choice? One Hour Photo, without hesitation.

It’s the sort of film that stays with you long after the credits roll, and Williams is absolutely chilling as Sy Parrish…

If you liked this movie I’d also suggest Robin Williams and Al Pacino in another really underrated movie called Insomnia.

Stay safe,

BC