Habit

A man (Larry Fessenden) sliding into alcoholism after the death of his father becomes obsessed with a woman (Meredith Snaider) he meets at a party, who may be a vampire.

Habit is an interesting take on the vampire genre. Though it explores some of the same themes as Abel Ferrara’s The Addiction, writer-director-star Larry Fessenden’s film is a much more engrossing experience.

Shot in a surreal documentary style, the film conveys an intimate point of view from the opening frames. This is furthered by the dialog’s organic, improvisational feel, which culminates in a very believable, honest window into Fessenden’s character’s life. This pays off big time as the story unfolds, because Fessenden the director is then able to elicit genuine feelings of dread because of the audience’s connection to his character.

Sure, there are moments where he stumbles, usually when he’s more focused on the plot than the characters. The most obvious of these moments occurs in a scene between Fessenden and Aaron Beall, where Fessenden attempts to confess his growing fears that his new girlfriend may, indeed, be a vampire. Here, the dialog feels forced, as if the performers are reading the lines rather than saying them. Though it likely wouldn’t be as noticeable if the rest of the film weren’t so organic.

His decision to star in the film alongside an unknown cast was probably due to budgetary reasons, but it works. Granted it’s somewhat hard to believe all these woman would be interested in him sans-tooth and all, but his appearance and the lack of a Hollywood cast only serve to lend yet another layer of authenticity to the film.

In the end, these slips are minor blemishes on what’s otherwise a powerful and original take on the vampire mythos. Fessenden’s use of the city of New York as a supporting character is inspired, as he shows how isolation and loneliness can exist in a city of millions, and his limited use of special effects makes their impact all the more pronounced. For fans of the genre, Habit is a must-see.