One Hour Photo Quotes

Sy Parrish: [voice-over following opening interrogation room scene] Family photos depict smiling faces... births, weddings, holidays, children's birthday parties. People take pictures of the happy moments in their lives. Someone looking through our photo album would conclude that we had led a joyous, leisurely existence free of tragedy. No one ever takes a photograph of something

they want to forget.

Bill Owens: Look, Sy, I got a family. I'm not losing my job over this. I'm letting you go.
Sy Parrish: No. Ohhh...
Bill Owens: These log discrepancies would be enough, but you've been spacing out on the job, taking 90-minute lunch breaks, creating scenes in front of the customers... giving away free merchandise.
Sy

Parrish: What?
Bill Owens: Free disposable cameras to customers on their birthday? That must have been your bright idea. Sure as shit isn't company policy.
Sy Parrish: You can't do this.
Bill Owens: It's done, Sy. I talked to Sims at district. Now you finish out the week and clear out your locker. And if you do

something like fuck up today's prints...
Sy Parrish: I haven't fucked up a customer's prints in 11 years!

Sy Parrish: [voiceover] I've been doing P.O.S. mini-lab work for more than 20 years now. I consider it an important job. When people's houses are on fire, what's the first thing they save after their pets and loved ones are safe? The family photos. Some people think that this is a job for a clerk. They actually believe that any idiot that attends a two-day seminar can master the

art of making beautiful prints in less than an hour. But of course, like most things, there's far more to it than meets the eye. I've seen prints they fob off on people at the Rexall or Fotek... milky, washed-out prints... too dark prints. There's no sense of reverence for the service they're providing for people. I process these photos as if they were my own.

Sy Parrish: Are you a family man, Detective?
Detective James Van Der Zee: That's none of your business, Sy.
Sy Parrish: You're right, it's not. But I can see by your response and the ring on your finger that you are. That makes you a fortunate man. I can also tell be the way you've treated me so far that you're a good man, and that

you appreciate your good fortune. You're not the kind of man who would cheat on his wife, hurt his family, abuse their trust.
[pause]
Sy Parrish: You would never neglect or abuse your children.
[chokes up]
Sy Parrish: Make horrible demands of them. You would never ask... You would never ask your children to do things... things that

children shouldn't do.
[crying]
Sy Parrish: You would never take disgusting, sick, degrading pictures of your children doing these things!
[implying that Sy was molested by his parents as a child and it was photographed]
Sy Parrish: You would never treat your children like animals.
[calms down a little]
Sy

Parrish: Will Yorkin had it all and he threw it away. He is not a good father.
Detective James Van Der Zee: I... well, I think I understand now, Sy.
Sy Parrish: Could I have my pictures now?